A Glass Orb
by Blueteam101
Summary: A witch and a werewolf. It was destiny that brought them together. Fate made them stay together. But then again, destiny wasn't one to make things simple as a fairytale. Evil shall always appear for this is war. Ichiruki AU Rated M for adult content
1. Prologue

_**A/n: I want to thank both the fabulous Senna23 and the lovely Mikaoru for beta-ing this more me. They're the greatest. 3 Also I am going to finish this story, it's going to last a…while since I am only updating once a month, and if God is looking down upon me twice a month, if I can. ^3^ So the next update shall be in a…month from now. **_

_**Also there are some Latin words in here, just to warn you all. Also sorry for being a day late for publishing it. ;3;**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Bleach...at all.**_

* * *

**A Glass Orb**

By Blueteam101

(Hellokilly7593 at BA)

_**Prologue**_

_**Before we met, we had a dream.**_

In a dream, we can become anything we wish to be. To fly. To be invisible. Walk through walls. A mystic, eerie world in our mind; where the rules of reality do not apply. Our minds get lost in the mist of nonsense, which we do not question. In a dream, we are like passengers on a moving train, unable to control our actions and choosing our surroundings. We let our mind take over; let our true self come out, act differently than we normally do. Dreams make our heart's pace faster, make our adrenaline rise, and make our blood pressure increase. It makes us see the world in another way than we normally would.

But…do we dream to sleep or do we sleep to dream? That's a question we need to answer ourselves. For we need dreams to recharge the mind, body, and help us tackle stress. Dreams are sweet. They are supposed to relieve stress, make you smile at the childishness, and madness you create.

But what if…what if these so-called-dreams are not dreams full of delight or fantasy, but instead they are full of terror? Horror? What if these nightmares are recording? Are they trying to say something? Are they warning me…?

~*~*~*~

Kuchiki Rukia's petit body sat upon a cushion couch in the small loft in her home; her porcelain skin smooth and delicate as it clashed with her black ebony hair that stopped just under her chest. Her heart shape face was soft and lithe. Supporting her large almond shaped eyes that were blue as sapphires with thick black lashes surrounding them. Lips were red, curved in lovely wings. _A goddess of the moon_, many thought of her. With her graceful looks that God had given her, the air of poise and beauty curled around. She's a creature of pure chaste ice that was beyond doubt to remain untouched by the defile sinful hands of the world.

She ignored the chills and whispers of the cold night's gentle breeze that was drifting through the open, bay window. The cool December air embraced her lithe body lightly through her icy blue color hut dress, causing a small layer of goose bumps to appear on her skin. Rukia continued to take no notice of the knocks on the immense maple double door, and only concentrated on the image that floated in her mind. Lines after lines fell upon her sketch pad; she had no control over her silk glove cover hand that traveled across the artless white paper. Connecting lines from one point to another, shading in shade to giving them value. Unity.

"Rukia-san?"

Lost in the chaotic haven of her mind Rukia doesn't notice the two individuals that just walked in. The only thing she's focusing on is to understand the lines of utter turmoil on her paper. Her moving hand stopped automatically, leaving the unfinished drawing for her lost glaze. The more she stared the more she distinguished out the image, and her lost stare turned intense with her blue eyes staring at the creation she drew. "A glass orb …" she whispers in her light English accent. The orb was held by a metal base, rest on a round pure crystal table. Carful as if it can rip she traced her creation with her finger, letting her cover finger linger on the drawing.

"Rukia-san?" Rukia's eyes snapped open at the sound of her name. Hastily she closed her sketchpad as nonchalantly as she could; turning around to face Ishida Uryuu, and Hinamori Momo.

"Momo, Ishida…when did you arrive?"

"About five minutes ago right, Momo-san?" Ishida answered her as he pushed back his navy blue glasses. Being at five foot eight inches Ishida is an average height for twenty four year-old man. His short black hair is angle down hiding his pointy ears; high cheekbones make his face sharper, and blue-black iris stand out behind his clear lenses. Ishida dons black slacks, a blue long sleeve preppy stripe shirt, a basic web belt, and white tennis shoes on his feet. Lastly, on his left hand he has on a bracelet with a symbol of a cross. The Quincy cross, Ishida's clan symbol of a race of powerful elves; but sadly the race is decreasing quickly.

Momo nod her head in agreement as her high ponytail bounces with her nods. Momo, being only four inches smaller than him has a childish looking face. Big innocent brown eyes with a youthful and gullible look in them. No one would guess she is a young twenty one year-old Banshee. She's a wicked creature that warns when Death approaches as soon as she shrieks. But you can't see that on her when she's wearing a brown color skirt to match her beige blouse, and brown shoes. Momo throws a toothy grin at her, "Rukia, we should head over to the airport now."

Rukia calmly agreed as she placed her pencil and sketchpad inside her white wool messenger bag she earlier placed next to her. She fingered her long pure silver necklace before looking down at the charm that is hanging off of it. The small metal pocket watch ticks soothingly as she opened it and checked the time absently. Getting up she let Ishida and Momo take the lead as she followed and got lost in her thoughts.

Skillfully she left her Kuchiki impassive expression on her face as a force habit. Trusting her feet to guide her to the main double door of her old home, she recalled onto why she is leaving her home. Moving to Karakura Town in place for her Father, Kuchiki Byakuya, she reminded herself. Rukia's father is getting ill due to his old age and he merely sent her to take his place as the representatives of the United States' Others Community.

The Others are creatures of the supernatural, creatures of the human's fantasy. Banshees like Momo to elves like Ishida. Karakura Town is the meeting place for anything and everything that involves the Others; its headquarters. Since Rukia is the daughter of one of the world most powerful sorcerers and part of one of the most known noble families; she's forced to go in place of her Father.

Everyone in the clan was against it but they really had no say in it. She's turning nineteen in a month, sure that's not a good reason for her to take her Father's place, but she is intelligent. Quite intelligent in fact. She just finished her fourth year at the University of Washington D.C and just gotten her master in art history and literature. However it does not matter how hard she tries to study, and succeed, the elder noble members still view her as a young child that is inexperienced with the outside world. They even go far enough to look down on her as if she had no worth. Her Father always ignored those noble men, and because she only had her Father, she followed his lead. She went through more than she wish she had. She matured too fast for a normal young woman, became colder than most people would like. However like her Father had told her in the past, she is his pride and she must act like it.

Arriving to the front door, each of them covered themselves with thick winter coats. Ishida in a dark green trench coat, Momo in her dull pink winter sweater, and Rukia just slipped on her white coat. Stepping outside Rukia became mystified with the dots of snow that is gently descending down from the gray sky. They dance with the wind and twirled around the other snowflakes as if they had nothing to worry about. "_How ironic_", she thought as the snowflakes whirled around her. She didn't realize that she has the attention of Momo who watched her as her breath came out in tender puffs and her eyes hazy.

Momo stared at her and tries hard to read her expression. But as seconds move on she knew they need to get going. So with a sigh she called out to her. "Rukia, are you going to miss Washington D.C?"

Rukia shifted her eyes over to Momo's, "Of course, I spent the last ten years of my life here; naturally not counting all the summer vacations to England. But I can't wait to see real Cherry Blossoms, I heard from my Father that they are beyond doubt breathtaking."

Momo smiled at her shyly, "They are. But really, it's a good thing that you learned how to speak Japanese when you were a child, Rukia." Beaming at the blue eye nymph she added a skip into her walk, thinking over the fact that she, unlike Rukia who used to live in Spain, lived in the U.S. all of her life. "It's been a very long time since I've been to Japan…well mostly because my whole family lives here, but once I become Mrs. Hitsugaya Toushirou, I think I would be visiting Japan more often." Momo turned around and faced a clam Ishida that has his face in another book. "What about you, Uryuu-san?"

Ishida looked up from the book and looked behind him. "My father is Japanese while my mother is German, however since my Mother died in child birth, I stayed and lived in Japan until two years ago." Momo hummed at the little information she received when they enter the thick, black SUV that will be taking them to the airport. She didn't bother to question Rukia's race since she already know that Rukia is a half Spanish from her Mother side while on her Father side she's one quarter English and Japanese. Hence why her last name is in Japanese.

"Which reminds me, who exactly is going to pick us up once we arrive to Japan, Ishida?" Rukia questioned him with her light English accent coating her words as she pulled out her sketch pad and started to draw idly.

Ishida smiled at Rukia's bad habit of drawing whenever she felt like it; the only weakness she had from what he can tell. Rukia always followed the proper etiquette of society: only speaking when being spoken to, walking with her back straight, smiling gently to everyone, greeting everyone who greeted her, and so on and so forth. Those manners have been forced down on to her since she was a child, or at least that's what he heard from the workers at the Kuchiki Manor. Not even allowed to go outside and play like normal a child; to play in the mud, to play with other children, use her hands to paint instead of using a brush.

She wasn't allowed to enjoy her youth as a child when others did. Ishida looked away from her and back onto his book. He's glad that her only escape from her noble life is her drawing and her music. He hid his sympathy knowing well that she doesn't want it, and never will. Pushing his glasses up, he calmly answered her question with his own. "Do you remember Kurosaki-san?"

Rukia stopped her sketching in mid stroke, "Do you mean Kurosaki-san as in the Alpha of the _Llave Negro del Destino_? As in the man who asked me in public if I wanted to marry his son?" Ishida nod his head at her as she raised an eyebrow and resumed to draw, "I heard his family is quite… brilliant; I can't wait to meet them."

"Yeah only his daughters; Yuzu-san, the youngest, she's quite sweet and motherly. She also enjoys cooking and cleaning. Karin-san, her fraternal twin, is older than her. She's more laid-back and sarcastic. She has a passion for soccer and I think they're both…turning sixteen soon."

"Then what about his sons?"

"Ah, he only has one son which is the eldest. Kurosaki Ichigo… that berry boy is the new beta of the pack since last year, and he's an irrational dipstick." Ishida voice changed in to a rigid but light mocking tone once he hit Ichigo's personality. Both girl noticed, however while Rukia kept her comments to herself, Momo started laughing out loud at the tone of his voice and Rukia silently chuckled to herself from behind her hand when Ishida's face gained a shade of red.

"You don't like him, do you Uryuu-san?" Momo cooed at him, and evilly decided to tease him all the way to the airport just for kicks. Boarding the Kuchiki's private plane Momo bids both Rukia and Ishida a goodnight as she slithered her way across to the guest room and into the makeshift bed. Ishida just takes a sit in one chair out of the eight in the aisle and enjoyed his dry martini with the novel he was reading when they left the Kuchiki's estate. Rukia bid Ishida a goodnight as well when she heard the pilot informing them that they will be flying soon. She head over to her own room and shed her over coat. She stayed in her dress, finding it cozy and warm as she stretched her arms.

"Do you need anything to make your flight more comfortable, Miss Rukia?" A voice filled with flirtation rushed through her door in high velocity.

Rukia jumped a bit and turned to Matsumoto Rangiku who is leaning against the door with her blond hair in a bun, her uniform showing too much skin, and a curved smile on her light peach color skin. "Ah, Rangiku what are you doing here?"

"What did I say about calling me 'Rangiku'? I told you many times, Child, to call me by my nickname." Rukia smirked slightly and agreed quickly, not wanting to go through another lecture from the blond bombshell. "And to answer your previous question, well I'm flying to Japan with you, you silly little…" Rangiku stopped and waved her hand in front of her face as Rukia gives her an impatient look. "Ok ok, I'm here because I decided I needed a vacation, and when I heard you're going to Japan I just had to come along. So after this flight I'm not working for the next three months and I'm staying in Japan with you! Isn't that grand?"

Rukia lips turned into a small grin as she heard Rangiku go on and on how they were going to spend their time in Japan together. She went on about going to the spas, temples, and restaurants. "I got it Ran." Rukia yawned and scolded herself for sleeping so late last night, "I'm quite tired, Ran, when you are going to sleep?"

"In forty minutes, my shift will be over so stay up for me okay, Rukia?"

"Of course…ah, can you bring me water?"

Rangiku smirked at her as she started to close the door behind her before saying "Of course Miss. Kuchiki."

"Thank you…" Rukia voice reached Rangiku's ears and she smiled brightly at her. A sigh leaves Rukia mouth as she heard Rangiku leaving. "Three months." her thoughts boomed in her mind like an abandon cave, "How did Ran know I would stay there for three months? Oh well, it is Ran, she had probably seduced some poor rooky for information like last time."

Rangiku is a full-blooded American who happens to love the Japanese culture since she was adopted by Japanese Americans when she was a baby. She studied the Japanese culture during high school and even took Japanese's classes. But Rangiku's adopted parents were quite surprise when they found out she's a rare creature called a fox woman. Fox women can only be women in their race hence their name. They're rare since there are only less than one hundred fox women left in the world. Rangiku is only twenty-one and came across Rukia at a political party when Rukia was seventeen. Since then, they've been close friends with Momo and Ishida, or as close Rukia allowed herself to be.

Rukia let her body fall upon the white sheet bed with a 'humph', letting her usual prim and proper body become relax in the soft sheets. Humming a soft tune she remembered her mother used to sing to her. Rukia peaceful becomes oblivious to the world. She does feel the plane starting to rumble low, moving, and then lifting them off of the ground like a bird. She didn't feel the awkward feeling in her stomach when the plane left off however, and the annoying buzzing noise in her eyes just never came.

Placing her hands over her eyes the images of amber eyes flashed through her mind. Each image of those amber eyes had different emotions burning inside of them. Rukia had been seeing these eyes for weeks now. They appear when she got lost in her thoughts, they appear when she felt helpless or even when she wanted to quit. The chips of burning fire in them warmed her cold blood and she even felt as if they're leading her towards something. With every step she took in her mind towards those blazing eyes she felt as if she is going further towards him. Who "him" is she doesn't even know, and she doesn't even bother to ask.

"Rukia, you better not be sleeping."

Rangiku voice reached her ears, and the amber eyes in her fogged mind disappeared. "Hello Ran." Rukia's voice is unruffled by Rangiku's positive aura that sings around her. The blond woman smiled brightly at her as she jumped on the bed with her. She is already clad in her silk nightgown and her wavy blond hair is hanging down loosely.

Rukia listened silently as Rangiku told her about everything that had happened with her since they last time saw each other. She talked about her trip to Paris and New York City, telling Rukia of her time there. And out of nowhere Rangiku smile changed into a straight stiff line; she turned to Rukia, and gently played with the question in her mind before asking. "Rukia?"

"Yes?"

"…Do you know what is going to happen to you?" Rangiku's concern voice is as rare as to see a unicorn during winter. Rangiku stared at the ceiling with Rukia and thought of all the answers that Rukia can tell her. But deep down she knew the only answer that Rukia will share with her.

Rangiku's question made Rukia give a bitter smile, her smile seemed to cause the weather to become distressing with the way the plane moved side to side in anguish. "I can't tell you."

"And why not?" Rangiku lift herself off the bed and stared at Rukia's somber form. Her eyes closed and the same smile stayed on her lovely face.

"Because if I do…everything will change." Rukia's eyes opened and connected with Rangiku's light blue ones. Rangiku tried to keep eye connection but she couldn't. Just the look in her eyes burned her. There is no ounce of emotion in Rukia's sapphire eyes. The vacant look in her eyes should be filled with the fruits of emotions that normal nineteen year olds should feel, but she doesn't have any of those. Sometimes she wished she could help Rukia to open up, but it's not her responsibility. It never was.

"Rukia …"

"Let's go to sleep Ran, it's a long flight to Japan." The only sound that came from Rangiku was a grunt of disagreement, but her discontent surrendered to Rukia's softness. Rukia felt Rangiku shift to lie on her side, leaving Rukia to stare at the bare ceiling.

Rukia didn't bother to change into her nightwear and kept her sundress on. She gently moved to her side and made herself comfortable. Reluctantly she let Sandman welcome her in his embrace. She felt her eyes drop little by little, her body slowly turning off and going into sleep mode. She lets out a small sad sigh and let her nightmares begin once again.

_Several hours later:_

"All right, we are in Tokyo, Japan!" Rangiku's cheerful voice reverberated through the whole airport making many stare at her as if she was dirt under their shoes. Rangiku noticing the crude glares gives them the stink eye and cursed at them in Japanese, fully aware of her thick American accent of course.

"I hate the time changing." Momo groaned, after all she is not very fond of staying in one place for so long, and has been complaining since they arrived to the airport.

"Well, you're not alone, Sweetheart." Rangiku stretched her sore kinks from her back and rubbed her bottom a little to get rid of the numbness she felt. "Really it took thirty hours to get here, and it's a nine hours time difference and we left on… Friday, so what day is it and what the hell is the time?"

"We left at seven in the evening on the seventh and it's now…two in the afternoon on the ninth. So it's Sunday." Ishida's clam voice answered Rangiku's question with ease. But from the way his face muscles relaxed, one can tell that Ishida is also glad to be off the damn plane as well. "I'll be back; I need to go look for Kurosaki-san. So stay here, and wait for us. Got that, Rangiku-san?"

"Of course, of course!" Once Ishida's figure was out of view, Rangiku cheerful smile faded and a pout replace it. "Oh poo, Ishida never let me do anything fun…that Party-pooper. Just like Momo's fiancé." Momo blush, but decided not to respond knowing very well it will back fire in her face if she tried to deny it.

"What did you expect Ran? Last time he left us, or rather you alone, you went to a bar and got drunk." Rukia eyes the airport as she addressed Rangiku, she took in the glittering lights of the jolly season of Christmas. There is a faint smell of pines, and children happy chatter grazed her ears silently. From the corner of her eyes she saw a joyful St. Nicholas ringing a bell. Something that she only thought she would see in the U.S.

"Ah, but Rukia we were waiting for an hour at that line and I wanted to get a little drunk."

"Ran…we were at Disneyland."

"You got drunk in Disneyland?!" Momo gasped rang through the airport making them the center of attention for a full minute, again. While waiting for Ishida, Rangiku and Momo chatted about visiting Tokyo Towers and since it's snowing they should go to a winter resort. Rukia kept quiet, and let the two of them talk as she took out her sketchpad. She looked through it waiting for a new, fresh blank page. Page after page is filled with random items such as doors, a crown, shields, candles, and many more objects that didn't fit and just seem odd.

On her last page she traced the lines of her sun, the black sun. This is the first time she drew the sun in all of his glory. The intense shading she gave it when she was drawing was amazing in her opinion. Rukia smiled at the drawing. Admiring that out her whole sketchpad this is the only drawing she finished and colored. "The Black Sun…" She whispered to herself in an unknown softness that it terrified her and soothed her at the same time. She drew the sun last night in the wee hours of the morning. She went into a corner of her and Rangiku's room and just sat still for a whole hour. And after she was done sketching it, she spent another hour coloring to perfection and for some odd reason using an orange pencil to write, "Black Sun." in her best, bold cursive writing. She's not quite sure why she titled it as "Black Sun" since it's clearly just an eclipse, and it's not that creative in her opinion. But something tugged at her soul, and she simply felt that she needed to "embellish."

Rukia shook her head somberly; gently turning the page to the blank cardboard surface of her sketchpad. Confusion filled her at once as she noticed that she has no more pages left. Lifting her head Rukia quickly searched for an art store-or any store for that matter. From the corner of her eyes, she saw a small store that seemed to sell paper and her heart rises with the hope that they might have sketchpads or at least normal blank paper. From what she saw, it was outside of the airport and on the other side of the sidewalk. She could go and get what she needed and come back. No one will notice she was gone.

"I'll be back…" Her lithe voice didn't reach Momo's and Rangiku's ears as she ambled her way through the crowd, making sure she doesn't hit or bump anyone as she left the airport with her messenger bag in tow. She felt the prickled of the cold icy air touch her expose skin as she crossed the street. She stopped right in front of the store and reads the dark green color words on the door. "_Urahara Shoten the II_?"

Upon entering the store she's encircled by sweets of many form and flavor. Some seemed to come from the United States while other came from Korea, France, Mexico, so one and so forth. Her small steps were barely making any noise as she walked up and down the aisles, looking for any type of sketchpad filled with normal blank white paper. She heard footsteps behind her and turned quickly. Her cold expression on her face stayed the same even when the timid looking boy smiled at her brightly.

"Hello Miss, and welcome to Urahara Shoten the II. I'm Yamada Hanataro at your assistance." He seemed to be a couple inches taller than her if he didn't slouch over. His dark purplish black hair mopped over his eyes as he bowed. His uniform was a normal blue button shirt and gray pants with a white apron over.

When Rukia was evaluating him she saw the sweat from her stare leaking from his brow. She forced a kind smile on her face for his expense, "Yes you can, Yamada-san. I was wondering if you have any sketch pads in this humble store of yours."

The moment he saw the smile on her face, his face brightened vastly, "Of course, the Boss told me someone very special will come today…I mean yes we have one left." Before Rukia could demand what he was talking about, he left in a hurry to the back and knocked some shelves down on his way. Watching him leaving rather quickly, Rukia shook her head and decided to question him later once he returned. That was the plan before her eyes landed on the Chappy merchandise.

Her eyes widened at the sudden awkward-but cute-creature that she dared to call a rabbit. Her hand greedily grabbed the plushy of the rabbit. Enjoying the soft fake fur that covered its body on her hands, the fake blue beaded eyes, and happy smile on his face. She never once owned a plushy of her very own, and was fascinated by the strange creature.

"It's understandable why you will go for childish things like this Rukia-chan."

Realizing that she let her guard down Rukia mentally scolded herself for her complete stupidity. Rukia looked behind her and saw the Alpha of the _Llave Negro del Destino_, Kurosaki Isshin. The man had black and messy hair with a few grays picking out. He gave her a big goofy grin that grew wider with every second that passed. His hair matches his beard as he donned a maroon button up shirt, a black slack, and black dress shoes. "Ah… Kurosaki-san."

"Rukia-chan, my beautiful third daughter, please call me, 'Papa!'"

~*~*~*~

His feet hit the ground repeatedly as he ran through the thick crowd of people in Karakura Harbor. He pushed people that were in his way, and jumped over scatter objects on the ground. His chest heaved slightly as he chased the blur of a figure-with five stick of dynamite in the perpetrator s' backpack-down the busy streets.

God damn, he hated rush hour, especially on Saturdays.

Tearing his jacket off because of the annoying way it flapped in the wind, he took a big whiff in the air. The scent of the man was lost for a moment since it blended together with the thick scent of the crowd and the cold-metal scent of the city's winter. He stopped at a fork in the alley, his muscles rolling in tension, sweat ran down his forehead as his body radiated steam in the chill December air.

His nice brown dress pants ruined from disgusting brown mud, along with his shoes and he felt a twitch of annoyance on top of his right eye as he tried to pin-point of the scent of that man. He took another deep breath and deepens his scowl even more when he searched through the different smells of the alley. His nostrils curl in disgust at the stench but he got a small leak of brunt paper mix with chalk with a sulfurous odor.

Snarling at the smell he took off towards the left. The muscles in his legs became tense and harden as he gained speed. Distantly he heard a crackle of static and reached for his pocket. "Where the fuck is he?!" He growled at the phone. Hey, he might have the scent of the man but it would be better if he knew where the hell he's going.

"He's on the corner of 31th street, Kurosaki" The voice hissed at him, and the sound is then drowned in the familiar buzz of static again.

Stuffing the police assigned two-way radio phone in his pocket, a surge of strength rushed through his body. His lupine's speed and strength finally kicked in. Powering his body up as if he's a wolf at the moment, and was about to pounced onto his kill. He rushed corners after corners, his steps vibrated throughout the thin path of the alley as he breathed deeply through his nose. Ichigo kept increasing his pace until he finally appeared in the intense traffic jam of Sunset Plaza, and halted automatically.

The honking of cars, the rushed scent of the people in the busy plaza distracted him severely. Swearing loudly he jumped on top of the nearest car, ignoring the yells and curses of the male driver as he searched the crowd._ "Why does it have to be a Saturday?"_ His mind groaned from the many figures in the swarm of people. But lady luck seemed to be smiling down upon him as he got the sight of the man. Smirking ruthlessly he jumped off the red car, and whipped out his police badge. Shoving through the mass of people he barked out he's a cop and held up his badge to get through easier.

The man dress in a long brown trench coat looked back and forth. As if he's looking for something... "Fuck!" Ichigo realized the man is probable looking for a car of the sort. From the way he's not moving at all even when the sirens of the police cars got louder. Ichigo shouted in his phone to the other cops about the "get-away" car, and truth to be hold, a black car stopped swiftly in front of the man.

"Damn it!" Shoving the last person in his way he dashed towards the car, wanting to get the license plate at least. However as he's about to cross the last street that stood between him and the criminal, a large red bus passed in front of him, and what seemed like hours for Ichigo the bus finally moved . Lunging forward the moment the bus is gone he swears. Guess lady luck is messing with him since the black car is gone. Snarling because of the escape of the crook, he couldn't help but scowl heavily as people passed by him. Most being scared from the raging puff of red anger emerging off his body.

The deep gruff voice of his partner, Yasutora Sado or Chad, rolled up behind him. The tall buff Mexican, stood next to him as he stared at the same spot where the car once was. "He's escaped…" Ichigo grunted in agreement, not trusting his own voice because of his rage of a fail mission, and turned around towards the small cluster of police men and women.

He felt all eyes on his form as one of the female cop, Arisawa Tatsuki-who is a werewolf as well and part of his pack-came up to him. "So?"

Ichigo scowl remained in place as he gave her a stern answer. "Lost him and the five damn sticks of dynamite."

_A day later:_

"Ichigo, when is your Dad coming back with Kuchiki-san?" Chad, the quiet Chupacabras from Mexico questioned Ichigo as he lifted dumbbells with him.

Ichigo placed the two hundred and fifty pound dumbbells on to the floor and shifted his eyes over his giant friend, "I'm not sure, Chad. But I really do not want to see the prick-ass-of-a-noble again. He's always seemed to have a rod shoved up his ass someway or somehow." Ichigo is not in the mood to put up with Kuchiki's perfect "manners" since he's still fuming over that escape crook from yesterday. Never once since Ichigo join the force he had lost a crook. Ichigo let out a snort as he moved over to the bars with Chad next to him. Bring the bar up to his chest, the veins in his muscles becoming visible with every lift. His eyebrows etched together as he counted in his head.

The thought of meeting Kuchiki Byakuya again added onto his foul mood. The young twenty-four beta of the _La Llave Negro del Destino_, huffed and growled when he remembered the first time he met him. While Chad used the bars, Ichigo ran his hand through his hair. He knew for a fact that his dad is going to pick up Kuchiki and he is relieved because of that. What he doesn't need is to get into a fight or a glaring contest with the North American's Others' councilor.

Chad's deep voice broke Ichigo from his thoughts. "Did you know Ishida is also coming?" Ichigo stared at Chad before smirking, temporally making him forgot his problem.

"Ha, that pansy of a man is coming back?"

"No…just to visit.

"I haven't seen Ishida for… two years, why is he coming back?"

"He's going to accompany Kuchiki-san for these three months."

"I see…can't wait to show him how strong I got." Ichigo recalled all the disputes that he and Ishida had. Since the day they met in kindergarten. From different competitions like running around the town three times, to shooting plates in the shy with pellet guns. Of course Ishida won in all the marksmanship challenges but Ichigo always won in strength.

Which is obvious when you think about it. Ichigo was indeed a buff guy. Hell, he knows he's huge for a hybrid from a Greek man and small Japanese women. But what do you expect when his father is a werewolf-and the Alpha nonetheless- who is wildly known and is highly respected in the pack.

Ichigo is six feet and one inch, he weighs about two hundred and fifty pounds of mostly pure lupine muscle. He's more than well-tone, he has engraved muscle all over his body, but not so much that he looks like a monster but he is slimmer and basically muscular. He gets a lot of attention from his orange hair but that never really bothers him, since most of those attentions always led to him getting into fights. A good brawl with some jackass always lifted his spirits.

Chad and Ichigo decided to go to their own place after two hours at the gym. Both wanted to unwind before the Others' party. Ichigo just wanted to get rid of the Others' meeting that was going to take place later on today. Ichigo saluted a farewell to Chad as he lit up a cigarette and drove away in his black Mercedes-Benz.

Driving down the same streets he knew for all of his life; Ichigo felt the memories of every kind drifting back to him. Floating through him like a cool gentle breeze in a hot summer day. Images from his childhood, his teen's year, and his current adult life. It was bittersweet to think that just a couple of years prior he was once a stupid eighteen year-old out of high school.

But he's proud with his life, somewhat. He studied under his father to become the next owner of the Kurosaki's private club for the Others'-which also happens to be the biggest club for Others' in the world-and he also recently became a cop after being in the military for five years since he got out of high school. He's also head of the Others' security in Karakura Town, protecting the creatures from any stray crimes against them. A lot of work but hey, to become the best you need to sweat and bleed more than others.

Seeing the familiar apartments that are next to his home, Ichigo sets his car on the small driveway, taking his time to pick his gym bag. As he entered his small town house he heard the screeching sound of the phone. Rushing to the living room his home he answered the phone without looking at the collar I.D. Which he regretted immediately as his father's irritating voice boomed out from the other line. "Ichigo, you worthy piece of shit of a man; where are you?"

"Shut the fuck up, Dad! And I'm at my house since you called my house, Dumbass!" Ichigo rolled his eyes and stabbed his cigarette onto the ash tray as he heard his Dad crying to the big poster of his Mom. "Dad…Dad!"

"Yes my Son?"

"Don't say, 'Yes my son.' tell me why you called me, Goat Chin!"

"Mean words hurt Daddy you know."

"I'm going to hang up."

"Fine… kill-joy. The reason I called is because I need you to come over to the house and let Yuza fix you up for the meeting."

"What? No, I'm a grown man I don't need help from my little sister to get ready, you Old Fart!" Ichigo and his Dad spitted insults after insults until Ichigo decided to give in and head over to their home. "Damn, when does the party start anyway?"

"In three hours, my Boy."

"So at seven?"

"Yes, but I need you here now."

"Why?" Ichigo felt traces of hesitation crawl up from his feet to his neck. He knew from the tone of his Dad's voice that he is planning something.

"Because I need you to look nice…that's all."

"I know you're hiding something, Old Man."

"Why little old me? Of course not my babbling idiot-of-a-Son. Just get over here pronto."

"Yeah whatever, see you in a bit."

"Got it!" Placing the phone back on to the receiver; Ichigo let out a groan of displeasure before rushing into the shower. Talking to his Father seemed to always ware and stress Ichigo out. His Father just sucked all of the energy out of him with his joyful personality.

Sighing, Ichigo enjoyed the feeling of the lukewarm water running down his back, soothing fingers caressing him. Almost as if it was _her_. A grunt escaped his lips and he smashed his head against the tile hard enough for him to get a nick on his forehead. The thin flowing of the blood ran down his face and onto the tile floor. He stared down at the mix of metallic red blood in the clear water. Watching the misted swirls of red in the water before it vanished down the drain. Wiping the blood off his forehead, he turned off the surging water and he stepped out to the slim layer of vapor and breathes in deeply.

For a year since Ichigo moved back to Karakura Town, he had been having dreams of a… young woman. A beautiful woman. A woman with hair as black as onyx, eyes like brilliant shade of a sapphire surrounded by inky black lashes. He never seen her face clearly like he wanted to, but he knows that her lips are full with cupid arrows tips with a tint of bleeding red to it. He had seen the backside of her lithe body once. The slender generous lines of her backside encased in a form-fitting dress of some clingy black material. The fabric draped over her lush ass, showing him a delicate outline of her heart shaped ass.

Beside her killer ass her slim form was illuminated by the big, white moon behind her. And he had the need to howl at it and her. To howl to the heaven in praise for sending him such a woman. His mate, his soul mate, even if she's a dream girl. Now, he may like Shakespeare and all, but he really never identified something or someone with such a symbolic phrase.

Ichigo memorized every curve his greedy eyes saw. From her firm but soft long legs, to the curve of her tight curvaceous ass and hips. The tender slope of her waist spreading gently outward to form her small upper back. Her hair stopped around her elbows, curtaining the rest of her upper back with its raven black strands, and then curving outward softly.

Her skin was like porcelain, a light cream color that begged to be lick by him. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair. Wanted to walk right up behind her and hug her close to his body. To bury his head in the juncture of her neck and breathe in her scent that he craved to smell. Taste the supple skin under his invading tongue and lips. Grinding his lower part of his body into hers.

Many times in his dream Ichigo had called out to her every time he saw her. Every time he did she would never answer or only say something he couldn't hear. Her lips would move, making out every syllables of whatever she's saying but sound won't come out. When he called out to her she sometimes showed her eyes. The way her eyes open wide with sweet innocence, the unspoken crave of freedom.

Ichigo felt superb every time he dreams of her, seeing her sway lightly where she stands. And when he doesn't see her in his land of madness that he happens to called 'dreams', he felt lost and would never have the energy for anything. Even if he continuously felt like a fool since he can't stop thinking about her.

He doesn't know her from anywhere but he felts that he belongs to her, and she belongs to him. That unknown onyx hair woman, that woman he felt the strong urge to call his mate. To mark her like the animal instinct of a wolf that he is. "Fuck…I'm a wolf at his prime and I should be dating women that are real. Not a woman that my fucked up mind made up." Twelve months, it has been twelve months since Ichigo moved back into town and it been thirteen months since he had a one-night stand or a date. Well that's a lie, he hadn't had a date since high school. That mostly because his friends once forced him onto one in high school, and after that date he beat the living shit out of them, and never went on another date.

But that isn't all, his sexual appetite just….vanish. Poof! It disappeared. It's must because he hasn't been doing the "dirty deed" for a while. It's all because of her, the woman of his dreams. The one he has been dreaming about for thirteen months. Damn it. Also the thought of sleeping with other woman just disgusted him. So here he is, not dating anyone or seeing anyone, his sexual desire for other woman disappeared completely since he's hook on some chick that may not be even real.

Wonderful. But for some reason he didn't care. His gut is telling him that he's going to meet her one day, and never once had his gut been wrong. Through thick and thin, his gut always helped him in the past, and he is depending on it to find him that woman. His woman. Rolling his head to the side, Ichigo checked his clock and let out an oath, "Damn, I need to get going." Running out the door little did he know that that day is tonight.

A meeting of Destiny is about to play.

* * *

_**A/n: I want to thank everyone that actually finished reading the prologue, and I am sorry that it's a bit boring. But isn't all prologues like that? Boring and slow? I forgot to mention that each chapter shall be more than 10 pages long, so yeah for you guys. If you have any questions please ask, and all I ask in return for reading my work are reviews, please. I would love to hear you opinions on this and if you wish for me to continue.**_

_**Thanks, and next chapter will have a small lime to it.**_

**_And, once again, please review._**


	2. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Wow…23 reviews. Damn! I want to thank all my readers and all the people that reviewed for my fic. I never had thought this fic will get so many reviews!! I thought I would at least get seven or so but twenty three. ^^ Thank you all! *kisses you all***_

_**Also a anonymous review, XXXX, had…impolitely told me in a review that I had misspelled "Negro" when in fact I did not because it's not Spanish. It's Latin. --- Latin, I repeat, not Spanish. The same with the Hotel's name, it can be read as Latin or as French. Whichever float your boat, Huns. Rukia also used the slang word from England, "Git" which is an offensive word towards a man. **_

_**And before I can let everyone that is reading this to the real story, I want to say I had taken each reviewer's advice to heart, and tried to make my fic better. I would like to dedicate this chapter to both my beta-ers, Senna23 and Mikaoru. Thank you guys and thank to all my reviewers, people that fav me, and all to my loyal readers. Enjoy Chapter one. **_

* * *

_**Chapter 1**_

_**A Meeting of Destiny**_

Destiny is inevitable. Destiny will happen for a reason, and that reason is unknown. You can't change destiny once it begins. Eon after eon, Destiny has been behind us and in front of us. Never letting its guard down, always waiting to surprise us. The creation of each one of us is because of Destiny and the ending of each one of us is because of Destiny.

Someone or something is what connects us to everyone. For not even the most powerful man in the universe can escape Destiny's siren songs. Destiny cannot be reversed, it cannot be explained. It happens because it does, and when it does it can either bring peace into our world or destruction.

But can we stop Destiny by hoping? Do our actions affect Destiny in anyway? Do the emotions we carry affect our view of Destiny? Does a meeting between two people made by Destiny mean more then another normal meeting? How can we tell? How can I tell that our meeting was more than Destiny?

~*~*~*~

Looking at her-self in a full-length mirror the only emotion that fluttered over her was disgust. Many had said she was beautiful, as lovely as a Greek goddess with "undefined" grace they said. Yet here she was standing before her own damn reflection, and all she saw was a coward.

A damn soul cursed to walk on this bloody planet until her doomed death. The young woman that was staring back at her was in no doubt, her. Locks of hair pulled back and captured together with a dainty pin. The blackest of the night cannot hide from the luminous glow of her bright, blue eyes. Cheeks painted with a bothersome shower of blossom pink, lips kissed by wild red roses, and skin as pale as the moon and smooth as silk. Dear Lord, she looked like her mother and yet she wasn't that kind woman her mother was.

Anger grew in her, consumed her. She felt the bubbling confusion in her mixed together with the roaring sound of rage screeching in her ears. Clenching her teeth harshly, she forced her body to stop trembling. She's stronger than that; she's a Kuchiki for God's sake! But all she understood at that moment was the mocking horror of her reflection staring back at her. The traces of innocence and purity in her features parallel to the raw emotions of hate, and remorse that her soul screamed. Looking away from her counterpart, Rukia breathed deeply and vividly. The unrestrained wrath overwhelmed her in a way she could not described. What do they see in her? What was beautiful about her? Why do they praise her? She's no good at all! She was not kind and gentle like her mother! She was not graceful and elegant like her! She only looked like a clone of her! With a feral shout that erupted from the bottom of her damn soul she grabbed the closest thing to her and hurled it to the mirror.

Shards after shards fell in a heap in front of the now broken mirror's frame. Instead of one parallel twin of her, there now laid many. Each reflection was more disgusting then the last in her honest opinion. All giving her the same mocking look of loathing. The anger she felt started to cool down and was replaced with shame. Shame that took over her quickly. Shame for her childish outburst. Shame for her respectable Kuchiki's dignity. Shame for her untamed emotions. Her impure soul felt like a void of nothing but abandonment. Emotions that go in yet never come out.

She looked longingly at her new sketchbook that was resting on top of her bed. How she wished she could just draw and draw until the end of time. Forever lost with the movements of her hand across the gleaming white sheets of paper.

A knock on the door caught her attention, and before she could even clean up the sparkling mess of the broken mirror on the floor, her surprisingly calm voice came out effortlessly-as if she just hadn't thrown her expense metal brush to the mirror. "Come in…"

"Rukia, is everything alright?" Rangiku peered over the door carefully. She saw the broken shards of mirror on the floor and directed an accusing stare at Rukia. "Did something happen that the precious and innocent mirror had to be broken into infinite little pieces?"

Rukia getting into her actress mode smiled embarrassingly at her. "Sorry if I scared you, Rangiku. I just turned around and saw my reflection and scared myself. So I just threw the brush."

"How in the hell could you scare yourself with your looks-you know what? Never mind, forget it, I don't want to know and it's okay, Rukia. As long you're not hurt it's fine-and I said called me 'Ran,' we're friends!" She gave her a small smile that Rukia suspected that held pity before she brushed it off with her voice. "That's a very beautiful dress, Rukia."

Looking down to her dress, she couldn't help but agree with Rangiku. It was a very lovely dress. The short, black silk cocktail dress stopped above her knee. The delicately wrap lace was pressed closely to her waist as the halter chiffon neckline was tied gently behind her neck. Silk black gloves replaced her white ones for tonight. Smoothing out invisible wrinkles from her dress, she lowered her eyes completely out of Rangiku's view. She didn't want her to see the scorn in her eyes or the repulsion she felt towards herself.

"Rukia, are you alright?"

A small sigh escaped from her as she looked up at the blond fox woman in front of her. "I'm fine, Ran. Just…under the weather I suppose." She turned towards her and gave a sincere look. Hearing the sigh from Rangiku's direction Rukia knew she didn't wash the worry off of her light tan face. "Are you ready for the party?"

The gasp that left her mouth told Rukia that she just reminded Rangiku of the "wonderful" Others' party. "Yes, of course I'm ready for the party, Rukia! Look, I even got a dazzling gown for it!" Rangiku twirled around Rukia's hotel suite and showed her dress off. The red stain silk followed her moments and clung tightly against her body when she stopped and posed. A strapless, red gown with a very low neckline just screamed Rangiku. "Don't I look fab-u-lous?"

"That gown looks very gorgeous on you Ran."

The grin on her face spread larger and her icy blue eyes sparkled, "I just can't wait to go to the party! I heard that there is going to be some Vampires there." A very realistic moan of lust and pleasure echoed through the room as Rangiku imagined all of the exquisite looking male Vamps with light skin, and attractive looking face.

"Ran, I do not wish to take you out of your 'wet day dream', however can you be a doll and help me with my hair?"

"What's up with your hair? It never stays up unless it's in a ponytail. And before you open that pretty little English mouth of yours, no, you're not going to this party in a ponytail. Sorry, Hun." Rukia rolled her eyes and kept quiet while Rangiku fixed her hair for her. "Are you going to try to enjoy yourself while we're there?" Rangiku took extra care to not touch one speck of Rukia's skin as she gather up Rukia's hair.

Making a loud 'hum' in the back of her throat, Rukia smirked sly at Rangiku. "I'll think about it."

"Rukia…you're too antisocial, you know that, right?"

Already imagined the frown on Rangiku's face, Rukia just ignored it and answered her confidently, having her thin crisp English accent rolling off her tongue. "Hm…maybe just a smidgen."

"At least you still have your dry sense of humor, Hun."

"Hey-"

"Look here, all done!" Stepping back, Rangiku admired her work on Rukia's head. The locks of jet-black hair are twisted in a gentle bun with a slight rebellious curl at the end.

"Ah, thanks."

"Yes I know Darling, now don't touch it because if it falls I'll kill you." Rangiku stretched out her nonexistent kinks in her back and turned with a solemn smile on her face. "I think you're so lucky Rukia."

Getting her attention from her hair she looked over at the somber American blond before going back to her hair. "Why do you say that?"

"Because you can read minds of everyone with just a brush of skin. Even though I think it sucks that you have to wear gloves-"

"That's enough." The bustling blond scolded herself plentiful. She had past the line, the line where you do not question Rukia's gift and life. The tone of Rukia's icy voice shot her in the heart. Dear Lord, how she always wished she could make a deep connection with the young heir. Rangiku had prayed before in the past to help Rukia. However she never could. She never could. "Reading minds of others may be a gift for you but it's a curse for me."

"Look, Hun. I didn't mean to pass the line, but you need to loosen up for a bit. You're only turning nineteen in a month and you're already acting like an old hag in a hot young body!"

"I know." Looking straight ahead of her, Rukia paid no mind to Rangiku's worry glances. Rukia analyzed the meaning behind Rangiku's response and let it sink in her mind. She felt her anger rise inside her again. Not against Rangiku but towards herself.

She had a gift. That was what her Father called it and that was what the Kuchiki clan and the Others community believed as well. She was granted a gift by God on her eighth birthday. The event of that particular birthday was nothing but remorse for her but the other's views it as something marvelous. Amazing. A complete miracle.

Since that day, Rukia had been looked at in both awe and fear by her neighbors and kin alike. She knew things that people should not know. With the brush of her skin against another, she knew _them_. Their heart, soul, both small things and large, dark and light-whether she wished to know it or not. Then their unwanted emotions end up with her forever. The thoughts of guilt, hatred, sorrow, and more stayed with her. Imagines of what they seen in the past stayed within her. She had to suffer another people's feelings of wrath and suffering.

Every time after a touch she also had to pay a price. At first, when she was a young girl, it had only been minor pains, short headaches, and sometimes a rare nosebleed. At that time, she barely noticed them and played them off as something normal in her sense.

Normality… how foolish she was to think she was normal.

As she grew up, that little girl she once was began to dress in long sleeves clothing-even during the warm summer-headscarves, abundant shirts and long dresses. A kind elder Kuchiki clan woman knitted her some gloves when she was young; some were made of silk or velvet while others were made from cotton. The pitiful amounts of friends she had when she was younger melted away from her grasp as she grew up. They were drawn to the sunnier freer skies than her own raining ones.

This was how it began, how her life ended up into this pseudo-happiness. She was always shrouded. Always careful not to touch anyone without permission and for the thought of reading their dirty, selfish mind. And as she gotten older the more powerful the pain became when she did read a mind.

Instead of minor aches here and there she was instead overcome with numbness throughout her body. Small headaches become unbearable migraines. Little nosebleeds transformed to coughing up blood for a period of time. But if she doesn't touch anyone and if she surrounds herself with ice in her heart, soul, and body… then she will not feel the pain anymore. This was what she taught herself as she grew up. This was what she believed in. Nothing was going to change she told to herself.

Warping back from her thoughts Rukia stared at Rangiku in bewilderment. Trying to remember what she just said, "Sorry Ran. But can you say that again?"

"I said why do you get a nicer room than us?" Rangiku desperately tried to find another thing to talk about and the first thing that came up in her mind was Rukia's room. "It's not fair!"

"What?"

Rangiku smiled hugely and twirled around the room again, "Just look around you, Rukia! Your room is so much better than ours! Che, I think it's because of your sexy British accent, how you got that accent I do not know. But really, you lived in the U.S for ten years and only visited the United Kingdom during your summers. How the hell did you get a British accent? "

Rukia shook her head as Rangiku kept babbling about her accent; however Rangiku first statement caught Rukia's attention. Since arriving to her new 'home', she didn't really took the time to look around. But now she finally did look at her surroundings. She was currently in the living room, the swirling of gold and white surrounded her. Victorian furniture throughout the room made Rukia sick for some unknown reason. There was a door to the right that led into the bedroom and bathroom, while the left held the fully stock kitchen. And here all she wanted was a normal hotel room but Isshin went all out for her. "And there's a balcony, no way!" Rangiku rushed outside and gushed about the view she got. "I wish I got a balcony in my room, no fair."

"There's a balcony?"

Rangiku turned around in surprise and stared right in Rukia's eyes as gaped openly at her. "You've been here for more than four hours and you didn't know you have a balcony?"

"No."

"What am I going to do with you, Rukia?"

"Sell me to a rich noble man and never worry about me again?"

"Not funny."

"Really? I thought it was."

"Once again, dry sense of humor, child." Rukia glared at the buxom woman as she kept twirling around the balcony and started to call out below for her prince. "Wow, we're so high up…what floor is this again, Hun?"

"Um, it's the twentieth floor."

"And the party is on the last floor so…"

"Five floors up, and it will start in…five minutes." Rangiku rushed out the balcony and flings herself in front of Rukia.

"We should arrive late and dazzle every one with our appearance!"

Rukia shook her head at her overly hyperactive friend as she walked towards the balcony. Admiring the view of the town-like city before closing the double glass door and locking them. "It's quite cold," She mumbled to herself as she collected her items from her small purse to her sketchpad and pencil, "Sorry Rangiku, but I can't be there so late. You know I need to talk to Isshin before the meeting starts."

Rukia lips twitched upwards when she heard Rangiku groan, "Why? Oh never mind…want to leave now?"

"If it's possible, than yes, please." Rangiku smiled at her and looped her arm with her.

"Then let us go, Senorita Rukia." Rangiku dragged Rukia all the way to the elevator and demanded the Bellboy in Japanese to take them to the last floor for the party.

~*~*~*~

He's thirty minutes late, just thirty minutes… that's not bad, right? Wrong. It's really bad if you're the Beta of the _Llave Negro del Destino_, the son of the Alpha, head of security, and you're a guest at the Others' meeting. Wonderful .An oath escaped his lips as he impatiently drummed his fingers against the steering wheel of his car. "Come on. Come on, you son of a Bastard, just choose left or right! Not that hard!" Finally after the idiot decided to go left, Ichigo raced towards the _Supra Natura_, which was where that damn Others' party was being held at. His dad was going to chew his head off for being late, and hell he doesn't care. It's his entire fault anyways.

After his so-call Dad ordered him to come over to his place; the moment he entered his old home he felt the whispers of roses mix with delicate orchids caressing his senses. His instinct took over at that moment, and he started to search for that scent to only discover that it came from his own Father's clothing. Ichigo knew it was a woman scent from the lightness and the sweetness of the aroma, but when he demanded the name of said woman wearing that scent, his Father just laughed loudly. In his face.

The Son of the Bastard just said, "_Come to the party and you'll found out who it is_." He instantly left his Father's home and went back to his own house…where he lost track of time. All he could think about was _her_ and that mouthwatering delicate scent. "_Great, a triple combo meal"_ he growled.

So that was why he was thirty minutes late

He groaned in aggravation and in relief when he finally arrived to the damn hotel. The glowing lights of the name, "_Supra Natura_" flashing at him in its cool gleaming white lights. Lines of cars-from Hondas to Audis- are waiting to be parked by the young valets. Ichigo hurriedly gave his keys to one of the valets before shoving his way to the damn revolving doors.

He was greeted by the high-class hotel staff that seemed to contrast everything the owner was. Red and champagne are the Hotel's colors; employees are dressed in suits or in nice uniformed dresses. Light gold marbles floor, crystal chandlers, eye-catching furniture, and employees everywhere to assist every guest. Contrary to what you would have thought of the owner, Kurosaki Isshin. Ichigo ran for the elevator and yelled for the Bellboy to hold the elevator's doors before slamming himself inside.

"W-what floor, S-sir?"

"Last floor, now!" He growled.

"Y-yes, Sir!" The Bellboy pushed the button for the last floor and kept his glaze on the floor. Ichigo knew it's his fault for causing the young lad discomfort, but fuck, he doesn't give a damn and he still won't even after he left the elevator. All he cared about was to get at to the party in time, go to the meeting, than go home. He wanted; no, he needed to get over with it.

The 'dings' started to annoy him and became incredibly infuriating. He was just about to smash his fist against the speaker when last ding came along-finally-and the door opened. The smell of wine, strong perfumes and colognes irritably engulfed him. A series of coughs came escaped him as he walked out of the elevator. "Fuck…" The simmering lights of the Christmas theme bugged him but as he tried to ignore the awful scents he caught something. He felt his eyebrow twitch along with his nose when he caught it.

Like a needle in a haystack, Ichigo smelled the caressing aroma of winter roses and orchids. With a big whiff he focused on that aroma only. It was cool and fresh, satisfying him greatly as if he was dying of thirst. It was an unmarked trail and Ichigo concentrated where the scent was coming from before he decided to turn left. He forgot where he was, about the party, the high pitch voices of young ladies with grimy old men. And moved. Following the trail like a wolf that he was, searching for the woman with the crisp smell of roses and orchids.

"Kurosaki-kun!" The sweet coated cover voice of Inoue Orihime entered his ears from the right and Ichigo visible cringed in hostility and stopped dead in his track. "Kurosaki-kun, are you okay?" Inoue repeated his name, again, and he doesn't get why she does. He heard her the first time, so what was the point in repeating it again? Shaking his head, Ichigo checked the fragrance, and concluded that it didn't seem to be leaving any time soon. He also doesn't want to give Tatsuki another reason to beat his ass so he decided to make this quick. Reluctantly Ichigo turned to the auburn hair woman and tried to give his best smile towards her. Which was close to a scowl.

He doesn't have anything against this woman, but she doesn't know when to give up on a man that was clearly not interested, mostly meaning him. He will admit that Inoue was pretty, but not beautiful or stunning. She basically looked average, there was nothing truly spell binding about her. Her hair was let down and she donned a pink dress that was covered with flowers. Brown eyes sparkled with the lights and a smile was on her peach color skin. Average, not really ugly but not really beautiful. Her personality was like most of the women in the room, happy and perky, inexperienced in life and a simple airhead.

Ichigo made the mistake of breathing through his nose because he now wanted to pinch his nose. The scent that was coming off of this woman in front of him was far beyond too sweet and sugary, and beyond a doubt made him want to vomit. It might sound mean but it's true, and he was always an honest man, cruel sometimes, but honest. The scent of sugar, strong vanilla, and lust disturbed him in a way he never thought possible. He barely was able to choked out "I'm fine, Inoue," to the bubbly airhead.

The smile that appeared on her face erased all of the worry in her brown eyes, "That's so good, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Um…yeah." The awkward silence that hung around them was unbearable and Inoue quickly tried to remove it.

"Um, did you heard of the...of the crimes reports in Washington D.C?!" Inoue eyes looked hopeful to start a real conversation with him, at least this once. She had tried many times to seduce him with her voice and body- something that always worked with other men. But never with Ichigo or any other wolf in his pack. She knew her voice can cause upraise since she was part siren-even if she couldn't transform into a mermaid-but with wolves, who mostly used every senses of their bodies, never seem to be affected by her sweet voice.

Having tried almost everything to catch his attention: walking around in small clothing, bending a bit lower than necessary, and even straight out said she wanted sex. Yet nothing can faze him. But she wasn't going to give up! Oh no, she was not the one who was willing to give up a man that was a god like Kurosaki Ichigo. Many times she had imagined herself in his arms, him whispering words of love and sonnets in her ears. She even convinced herself that she was the mate that he, as a wolf, had been waiting for. He just needed to realize it…

"Ah, yeah I heard about that…" He tried to cover the urgency in his voice, but damn, he just wanted to get this over with. Dear God, what does she want with him? He never once paid any extra attention to her in the past, and suddenly she was trying to glue herself onto his side. It was unwanted and a bit disturbing.

She smiled brightly at him, "Indeed Kurosaki-kun, I heard that it involves with the… Others." She whispered the last part like it was a secret, when it's really not. Ichigo almost snorted since he already knew about this, this was what the meeting and party was all about. He once again sniffed the unbearable odor of the room and he found the overly acceptable aroma of winter roses and orchids again.

He rocked back and forth aggravated before deciding to just to walk away from this uncomfortable predicament he was in. About to make an excuse to take his leave Ichigo's heart stopped. He couldn't smell the scent of the soothing roses and orchids anymore. It got thinner with every passing second and he growled loudly. Not seeing the pleasure in Inoue's eyes when he did that, he whipped around and he didn't care about anything anymore. The only thing he cared about was to get closer towards the female that had this exhilarating scent. Ichigo left without a word and made his way through the crowd. Ignoring the cries from one annoying woman behind him.

"Roses and orchids…" Taking an unfathomable breath of air he filled his body and mind with the delicate aroma. "Left…" He growled as he pushed Others away from his path. Not noticing the curious stares of his friends, and the amusing look in his Dad's eyes, when he landed himself in front of the metal door that led to the roof. Receiving another mass of the disgusting air of the room, he found the soft trail of her scent and smirked as he realized that she was up there on the roof, alone. "Just for me…" Never had he felt like a real predator like he did at this time. Spikes of his natural wolf instinct slither through him, his senses became more sensitive and his eyes flashed with a tint of burning yellow-amber. Ichigo opened the door quietly and made his way up with a feral grin on face.

~*~*~*~

"Never knew I would miss the fresh, cold, winter air, like I miss it now." Bitter sarcasm oozed from Rukia's voice as she leaned on the freezing pole of the roof. Already having discussed with Isshin about the issue that will be addressed tonight, she escaped to the roof. Thirty minutes into the party and she just wanted to leave. The moment she entered the party she got a headache from the stench of wine, strong perfumes and cologne became too much for her. Along with many men from Vampires to Goblins hit on her constantly and even some women tried to warm her arctic heart.

Escaping to the roof must have been the most brilliant plan she had ever came up with. The plump, full moon glowed vividly in the black night sky. No clouds in its way to block the ribbons of faint golden light, instead all of feathery cool gray clouds became small patches in the sky; some disappeared into the departing horizon while others stayed and showered snow onto the earth. Stars twinkled lightly and shyly whereas the winds blew gallantly and daringly.

Rukia left the railing and started to look around the roof. A decent looking green house on the far right corner of the roof called her attention. Innocently she walked up to it. The broken windows and cobwebs did not bother her as she pushed on the rusty door. There were two rows of dead plants on each side of the green house filled with dust. Walking further into the tarnish house she took off one of her gloves and ran an uncovered finger across a side table. Inspecting it carefully with her thumb and index finger she gently rubbed it between her fingers until blowing it away. "It seem this green house have been unattended for at least ten years or so."

With a pivot of her heels she placed her glove back on her hand and left the green house without a second glance. Maneuvering her away around the roof, she ignored the garden supplies in the opposite corner and went towards the railing where she was first leaning on. But before she could reach it, she saw her sketchbook on the floor and not on the metal table she left it upon. "Must be the wind…" Bending down to pick her discarded item from the floor she felt a tingling sensations crawling up her hand. Placing her sketchbook back on the metal table, Rukia gently soothed away the sensation on her hand. A gust of strong wind blew Rukia's hair out of her bun and into a heap of fussy waving locks. Swiftly, she tried to move the locks of black silk out of her face but couldn't, "Damn…Ran is going to have a fit when she sees my hair is undone again."

Once she settled her hair down, Rukia picked up her sketchbook again, carefully closing it as if she was holding a fragile newborn. "Hm…" Turning away from the sketchbook Rukia's glaze shifted over to the plump full moon in the sky. Lifting her right arm straight at the moon and letting her sketchbook fall onto the cold concrete floor once again, Rukia desperately closed her fingers around the figure of the moon. Almost as if she can grasped it in her hands like a white marble.

"Destiny…has two ways of crushing us. By refusing our wishes and by fulfilling them." Her eyes became cold and hard as she remembered one victim of her power had said this message before he stopped breathing, and lost the youthful light in his eyes. "Light that fills the dark corners of my heart burns, yet I want that light to take away all the sins I had committed."

A small white speck of light glowed from the tips of her fingers; she played with the tiny glamour by dimming the glow of the light. With a slight weave of her hand a ball of wind mixed with water started to appear in her hands. Getting as big as her palm, resting on her palm as it did a gentle swirl of a dance. She brought her hand down from the mystical heaven and encircled that glowing ball with both of her hands. The power detaching from it calmly moved her hair up, making it dance like parting tides of the sea. "An orb…" With a tiny creak from the door behind her, Rukia's magic disappeared from her grasp and her hair fell down on her back like a waterfall. Quietly she listened intensely for more noises. Hoping that the creak was because of her glamour and not because of someone was on the roof watching her.

She truly hates it when she was wrong.

~*~*~*~

Ichigo stood behind the door as his eyes roamed over her curve backside. He drank up her form and took a deep breath. The fragrance of orchids and roses was captivating, making his mouth water in the thought of how she must taste like if she smelled this good. When he was behind the door he saw the moment she used her magic and he had guessed right away that she's a mortal witch with a mixture of something. Maybe fae or even a pixie, but who the hell cares… all he knew was that he wanted her. Badly.

When he leaned forward to get a better look he accidentally made a noise that caused her to tense up. So here he was, out in the open waiting for her to turn around. He waited for those eyes to lock with his and for sweet words to come out of her mouth. She looked like _her_ and he had a very strong belief that she was her. All she needed to do was to turn around and let him see her face. But damn he wasn't that patient! He made a low growl emerge from the back of his throat that sent a ripple of unknown awareness through her body.

He wanted to know everything about her; the pattern of her voice when she talked in different attitudes. Small or big habits she might have, the sweet texture of her body under his fingers. He wanted to become the master over her life and she being the mistress over his life. His fingers twitched, his breathing pattern slowly grew harsher as his eyes darkened at the thought that he could learn how to please her, to live with her, and pleasure her. The thought of claiming her, to have her under him trembling in desire as he marked a seal of possession on her lithe skin, thrusting into her until she screamed to the heaven while he howled to the moon was exhilarating!

From the moon bay of light washing over her form, he can see her long jet black hair blowing silently in the wind. Dancing and beckoning him to come closer. He bit back a growl as he traced the outline of her nimble hourglass. To have her plagued his thoughts, especially as he now as a clearer view of her body. Idly he wondered if her skin will be as tasty as it looked, but judging from her scent it must be.

Another blast of her luscious scent assaulted him, and he just wanted to pounce on her. No woman should ever smell like that, to have such a mad numbing aroma; it should be against the God damn law! Yet dear sweet Jesus he wanted her and knowing himself as well as he does, he was going to have her. Never once did he not take something he wanted, never once was he denied over something that clearly belonged to him, and keeping her as his was the only possible way he was going to survive. The way he thought about possessing her in such a way, somewhat startled him for a moment, he had never wanted someone as badly like he wanted her, but when another whish of her fragrance passed over him, he simply didn't give a flying fuck anymore.

Happily, he saw her tense body turn around to face him fully. His heart fully stopped, damn now he just wanted her even more when he saw what a beauty she was. Her hair whipped to the side and landed on her back, her petite body moved and curved like waves. Curved lips are a bit open, almost as if she was ready to cast a spell that he was certainly willing to fall under. Her skin glowed like a sheer white silk under the full moon, and her eyes sharp and fearless as they shine stared intensely at him, in him and even through him. Their eyes met in a furious clash of ice and fire. Hers control and strong, his wild and dominating.

His left foot unconsciously took a step forward, almost testing the ground to get a reaction from her. A refined winded blew just shot up but her eyes never left his. _"Oh this is going to be fun,"_ he told himself with an arrogant grin. Eager to catch her off guard Ichigo drove forward like the wolf that he was, having the instinct to simply catch his prey. He heard a growl that came from his throat as he saw the Witch's eyes widen at his sudden movement. His arms tense and open wide, ready for her to fill up the void that only she can. Instead he was only welcomed to the cold winter air.

Rukia, using her gymnast reflex, flipped away from the orange hair male. Using her hands to steady herself, she landed perfectly on her feet facing towards the offending male. Her hands started to glow a dull poisoning hue of red as Rukia formed a spell ready to be cast if he decided to attack her again.

"Wha-?" Blinking slowly she inspected the spot where he used to be, expecting him to be right behind her. Instead he's nowhere in sight. Looking around her slowly she started to move forward, "Three possibilities…" Rukia whispered in Japanese to the unkind winds as she walked up to the only remains of that man. Which happened to be his clothing. "He is either an insane human stripping down for the hell of it. Yet that's highly unlikely since this is a party for the Others'." Small fingers tips turned a light blue as she cautiously used them as forceps to clutch the corner of the man's clothing. "He can also be a Gremlin or some type of small creature. But once again that is highly unlikely since his aura gave off something more dangerous…" Feeling the fabric she sighed out loud in frustration, "He can also be a guy that's from the party who happened to see me came out here. Hm…maybe he's a Were creature of the sort."

A click of a nail hitting the concrete from behind her made the hair on the back of her neck stand. Sucking in air into her lungs at the sudden sound Rukia quickly got up, and faced him. "Hm, seems that my third guess was right after all…" Standing in front of her was a two hundred and fifty pound Gray Wolf, that wasn't that gray at all. The black hair wolf with fire licking amber eyes looked at her with alluring interest and Rukia got the feeling that she was being hunted, however not for food but for pleasure… "Bloody brilliant, I left the party to get away from the trouble and here I am standing in it."

Ichigo felt his ears perked up from her speaking English that had a feathery light British accent. Her voice was as smooth as silky and coated his senses even more. He found himself getting more fascinated about her, the sharp edge in her voice and the poker face of an expression she had. He loved it; he loved the emotions of excitement and impulse rushing through his veins as he watched her. The black hair goddess showed no fear in her sapphire eyes when he growled or even when he stared at her intensely.

Really, to find a girl that was more than a pretty face was…mouthwatering. He loved the challenged look in her eyes as if she was taunting him to continue, to get closer to her. The way her head was tilted up just a tad, having her looking down on him as if he was a piece of trash in her pathway. But he was going to prove her wrong. He was not trash but something much more appealing.

With a loud thump in his heart, mind, and hyper Lupine senses he knew that she was the one he had been looking for. The alluring woman that haunted his dreams for months was her. The woman that was destined to become his mate was her. The way she spoke and moved bewitched him along with her lovely blue soul sucking eyes. This was the woman that preoccupied his dreams, the one that made him toss and turn in his bed at night with all of those dreams and sometimes explicit X-rated fantasies.

A low fire lit itself in his stomach as his eyes focused completely on her. Her scent mixed with his smelt so rich and heavy but not so much that it was suffocating. Dear God, he felt like a hormonal teenager again. Was this how it felt when you found your mate? That he just knew? _"Mate, she's my mate." _The thought of her being his mate made the little fire burn across his whole body. It was pure instinct that told werewolves, or any Were creatures, when they found their mate. Something that they knew automatically without even bothering to question it. Were creatures believed that it was always destiny that had brought mates together, to live together for the rest of their mortal or immortal lives.

Taking a step forward Ichigo expected her to move away from him, instead she stood her ground and lifted an eyebrow as a challenge. _"A challenge indeed."_ His mind greedily whispered to him. With one beat of his heart Ichigo blasted himself towards her. His mind ran wild when he imagined the sleek texture taste of her skin underneath his tongue and the godly supple skin of hers under his. But damn it! The sly vixen just sidesteps him with gusto and he landed on the cold floor on the roof utterly unsatisfied.

The howl wasn't meant to escape his throat but it did and he howled at the moon rashly before he met Rukia's glaze with frustration while her own glaze was plain blank and bored. Uninterested in him. She shows no emotions towards him and this aggravated him to no end. The need to make emotions fill her eyes smolders inside him. _"But then again, where is the fun in that if she already has them?"_

"Ah, it seems I made the 'Big Bad Wolf' disappointed." Rukia's lips twitch upwards in a smirk as she raised her winged brow higher. "So what are you going to-" A rush of air plummeted out of her lungs as the Wolf jumped her. "Damn it!" The feeling of his wet nose nuzzling her neck to side made her blush at the thought that he was close, too close. But when she felt him giving her neck a lengthy lick a tremble escaped her and it was filled with something that she could not identify. The sound of him shredding the fabric of her dress reached her ears a bit too late when she felt the harsh wind pinching her skin.

"Fucking delicious…" The deep gruff male whispered in what she assumed to be in his native language, Japanese. Noticing that he was talking surprised her and she quickly shifted her eyes towards him and she tried to stiffen the gasp in her throat.

The Wolf was not a wolf anymore but a man with bright orange hair that screamed for attention. Rukia tried to come up with something. Anything. She always had some sort of plan up her sleeves but right now she felt too shocked and too embarrassed to do anything. This _wolf_ was simply distracting her and she had never seen someone with such a deep scowl on his face with eyes gleaming in mischief as he, that and his size. Rukia noticed that he was huge! He was much too tall and too broad. He was almost as huge as that Zaraki Kenpachi of Russia, and that man was a giant.

He even reminded her of a large, bulk Spartan solider, and she somehow could see him as a descendant of King Leonidas. Only if instead of bright orange hair, he would have a copper brown shade. However she couldn't help but thank the Lord that he didn't have that brown hair, for she seemed, somehow, fond of his spiky orange threads of hair. From her position she couldn't observe him fully, only from the skin on his upper torso and shoulder. Her eyes skimmed over the reinforced flesh and she saw smooth scars scattered across his skin, some larger than others, and she grew curious at the black lining of ink peeking out on his upper left shoulder.

Incredible buff the Wolf's muscles ripples on his arms and veins would occasionally appear and pump angrily under his skin. She could only see the top of his mighty chest as he lent closer to her. The Wolf literally engulfed her petite frame with his much larger one, Rukia even pondered if he was twice or thrice her size. She immediately blushed irately at where her thoughts were taking her, for a moment she forgot this man-beast-was on top of her, naked. If her Father knew that she spaced out during an improper situation like this… she didn't even want to finish that thought. Rukia was forced out of her thoughts when the Wolf's hand made contact upon her body. She stiffened a moan and involuntary arched towards the man when shocks of pleasure coursed through her petit structure.

The wolf above her grinned at the reactions he was getting, and ran his hand over her body playfully. He teased her supple flesh with firm touches, soft lips fluttered over the base of her neck, opening up wider as he goes lower. One rough hand cupped her fleshy silk covered breast, kneading the soft flesh for a long delicious moment. He loved the feeling of the perk mound molding itself perfectly into his hand, the way that she wasn't so big but not to small either. He then greedily wondered if they would be even softer if he took off her bra. With that mischievous thought, Ichigo then grabbed the silky fabric of her bra, and pulled it down roughly. He heard clearly the satisfying tearing of the fabric.

The reveal of the harden mulberry tip was glorious to him, watching the way it hardened even further when the cold winter air glazed over it. His starving eyes snapped back up to hers when he heard her throaty gasp of surprise. Blazing amber meet cool sapphire; flickering as if they were a large wild forest fire. "And God damn beautiful." Waves of spine crunching shocks rose through her as she realized what was happening, skin to skin contact.

His lips brushed her neck again before moving down and taking the exposed nub of her breast into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the stiff peak of hers, nibbling and sucking on it lightly while one hand kneaded the other breast and his other hand barely skimming over her expose waist. His eyebrows were furrowing in a deep above his eyes, strain and harsh. Rukia took this chance to get a better look at her "rapist" and followed the intense grove line of his face down to his heavy square jaw, down to his thick sturdy neck. Hairy legs snuggle up with her smooth ones, shaping his body closer to her own. His thoughts poured into her warmly, engulfing her until she felt light-headed and slightly ready to fall unconscious.

_-"Her. It's her. She is the one I'm looking for. The scent of roses, orchid is clearly coming from her. God why have I never met her before? She's so small, tiny, and so…soft! And she's Mine!"- _Rukia blinked at the words he was thinking, and groaned when she saw an image- _Blue skies, the sun shining brightly. But in the far distance there is a cluster of gray clouds. Not moving towards them but not moving away either. Rain- _

Rukia felt the pings of pain shooting at her skull. Thanks to the shots of pain, Rukia was able to shake herself out of her stupor state and finally observed this werewolf as the criminal that he was. How dare this _barbarian_ that obviously has no class or manners; pounced on her as if she's a plump deer in the woods?! Looking down once again in anger she gulped silently when she tried to push the blush on her face away as she saw him snacking at her naked breast, and his hands are still skimming over her barely cover body. She does not have time to be shy or embarrassed right now, she needed to intervene and make this Wolf cry in mercy for the improper and ungrateful deeds he had done to her!

Oh, she just wanted to smack him over the head for doing something so… unacceptable to her! How dared _he_ jump on her, rip her clothing off until she was almost naked, and took advantage of her expose skin? He must be thinking that she was even enjoying this mockery of an arrangement she was in! Running his lips and hands over her body. How savage! How vulgar! Her face slowly gained tints after tints of red, both in mortification and rage. How she wished she had her wand right now. If she did she could have, no, she should have turn him into a rat!

"_No, a rat is not good enough. I should this…this Git into a frog. No, no, no, a toad! I shall turn this crude beast into a little toad Oh, dear yes! An insignificant toad who is going to eat flies and crude bugs the rest of his days!"_ However before she could even try- with or without her wand -to conjure some magic or even before she could think of the spell, bursts of pain hurled themselves into her again, flashes of lights blurred her vision for a moment as she groaned softly.

She needed a plan to escape but before that she first needed a clear and clean opening. Rukia allowed her eyes to go lower for some sort of salvation and stopped dead in her tracks. With a surge of energy caused by her pure innocent and inexperienced embarrassment, Rukia pushed the offending male off of her and rapidly moved away. Not even noticing the front of her dress was gaping wide open to his view or that her exposed breast had a trail of glistening saliva with her ripe nipple beating red.

"Put some damn cloths on and do not dare touch me again, you Git of a Neanderthal!" Rukia's face flushed red. Never once had she choked out a scream like she just did, and with a wave of her lithe hand she casted a small spell to tie the wolf together with threads of lace magic to shorten his ability to move, or more importantly to stop him from trying to attack her once more. Turning away from his form, Rukia could felt her stomach rolling and tumbling in self-disgust when she realized that deep down inside of her, she might have actually been enjoying herself having him on top of her. He doing such things to her body that no other had ever done. Having control over her.

Her body simply tingled from the unknown desire that he gladly infected on her. She felt the lingering trails of his tongue over her breast and the warm trace of his hands over her body. It's such an awkward but welcoming sensation that she was willing to feel it again out of pure curiosity. Yet what surprised her mostly was that when he touched her. For the first time since she was eight, she did not feel pain. Well she did but it came a bit later and usually she felt pain right away. Usually she heard the thoughts of who was touching her the moment they touch her. However from the feel his warm skin making contact to her much cooler one sparked something inside of her. His thoughts lingered in her head and for the first time she had no unyielding emotions inside of her like she usually gets after reading a mind.

Another shot of blinding pain from her head reminded her of where she was at and that her head was pounding. She scolded herself for forgetting that she still, in fact, read his mind. Really now she had always, since the young age of eight, kept her emotions in control, kept herself in control. She was always in control; it was the simplest thing for her, almost like second nature. But right now she felt nervous, off balance, and disgustingly uncertain of what her next course of action should be. Even if she filched at these blunt statement she was telling herself, she knew they were true. She was not foolish enough to lie to herself and she was honest to herself whether she liked it or not. However, just because she was honest and loyal to herself does not mean she will "go along" with what her body wanted, which was to release the offending male and let him take over. Oh dear no, her mind and will was much stronger than that, she hoped.

No, she should not let useless sparks of feeling or random impulsiveness overrule her morals as a Kuchiki. No, her morals are more important than any emotions, needs, or wants. Emotions and gut instincts meant nothing at all to her. For the love of God she was Kuchiki Rukia, she had been trained to forget her needs and only serve the government of her country and the Others' community in anyways.

Hearing the deep growl from his throat, Rukia was certain that he couldn't even move a finger. With a deep breath she turned towards him, mustering up the coldest glare she could. She hoped to God that her face wasn't glowing red since her chest felt as if it will explode from her mortification and the skin on her ripe breast will smolder away. Also there was a high possibility that she might throw up from the queasiness his "gift" had left her as a not-so-nice present.

Assembling herself together from her surprising raving emotions, Rukia's eyes stared straight into his. Her hand grasped the front of her dress, mouth wide open to scream cold bloody hell at him. That scream got stuck in her throat. The werewolf just broken himself out of her spell as if it was just a thin useless spider web and now she wish she brought her wand with her. Seeing the feral grin on his face as he changed before her sent a ripple of uncertainty in her as she masked it up with an icy glare. His muscles spam in every direction as black hair started to cover his body completely, hands and feet turned into paws, and eyes becoming sharper. Deadlier.

She should have been feeling fear, even anger as well but no. She felt her rarely used adrenaline rush flowing through out her body in sweet harmony. She briefly wondered if this was what this wolf felt since in his eyes there was clearly enjoyment. Not waiting for the answer of this question Rukia quickly fled from the wolf. She couldn't believe that she was running away but she couldn't do anything without her wand, and her magical ability using just her hands wasn't strong enough to stop this wolf. As she sadly ran away from the Wolf she thanked the Lord for making her a nymph at the moment. As a nymph she could use her agility and the ability to blend into almost any surface to escape the lethal wolf behind her.

Rukia's feet guided her towards the decaying green house, almost falling on her ass as she missed a can on the dirty floor and closed the door right in front of the Wolf's face. She heard a yelp then a growl but she ignored both as she got the nearest piece of thick wood and lodged it between the knob of the door and floor. She then again thanked God for her natural curiosity as Rukia moved to the back of the somewhat big green house. Remembering that there was an opening on the roof she climbed her way through the hole and on top of the roof when she heard him smashing the door open in full forces with a triumph growl.

On the roof of the small house she made her way through the front and carefully jumped down. Landing in front of the open green house she saw the Wolf wiping his face towards her. The growl made her smile for the first time in a long time, "Sorry to say, but I have to cut this little game short for I can't have you trying to rape me, now can I?" Forgetting her rip dress Rukia placed her left hand on her hip and used her right to salute him. "So I'll be keeping you here like a wild animal that you clearly are, or acting to be, so I can have a spotless get away."

Having the pleasure to see that her words stunned the beast, Rukia started to make a bigger glamour than before as he produced the death run to escape the confinement of the green house. But Rukia stretched out her right hand; a yellow light formed in the palm of her hand and directly launch itself onto the green house. The moment she turned away from the house she heard a yowl when he collided with the invisible barrier she settled on the greenhouse, not noticing the way his eyes followed her as she walked away. Bending down modestly she picked up her discarded items, and as simple as she came up to the roof, she effortlessly left the roof without paying any mind to the howling, snarling, and growling from the trapped wolf.

"You can't keep me in here forever!"

"I know that. In ten minutes or so you'll be set free…bye," Rukia answered coolly when she turned the corner and gently closed the door behind her. Ichigo growled and slammed his fist against the invisible barrier when she was gone. The only thing she left to keep him company was her alluring scent and the aching of his damn blue balls. "Fuck my life…"

* * *

_**A/N: This concludes Chapter 1 and I want to thank you all for reading this chapter all the way. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please tell me.**_

_**Also if it's not too much to ask, please review! You got no idea how inspired I was when I got so many reviews; it gave me a nice fuzzy feeling knowing I'm writing something that my readers like. **_

_**Once again, thank you and please review. Next chapter will be next month, and we will be getting into the more political part of the fic. **_


	3. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Well here it is, Chapter 2 of "A Glass Orb" and I hope you all will enjoy it. I only got 14 reviews this time, more than ten less from last time, It makes me somewhat disappointed but I still want to thank those who took the time to review for my fic. It makes me very happy to know that my fic can please my readers. **_

_**A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. Enjoy.**_

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_**Chapter 2**_

_**Surnames mean nothing since they don't describe you**_

A name is given to a child as their own identify. A name is who you are but your last name is what you are. You are born in a society where who you are is what you are. Having a high class surname overtakes your own identify. It controls you, rules you like a king over a rich land.

A name is a name for your soul and giving your name can make other control you, giving them the capability to take over you. Keeping you trapped in a cage like an animal.

If being born into a world where a name means more than a person's life, then why should we care? Why should I move aside for a person that means nothing? Why should I care for some whose name is worth less than a grain of sand while mine is worth the Sahara desert?

~*~*~*~

The simple click of the door closing behind her sent a rush of shock sensation through Rukia's body. She squeezed her sketch book close to her chest as she scampered down the steps of the emergency staircase. Rukia passed the door that was suppose to lead to the party and went down the spiral staircase, which made her feel faint and nauseas. However she punched that feeling away from the pit of her stomach and mind. Not letting it distract her as concentrated on her feet, "_Left, right, left, right._" Her mind repeated over and over again until she arrived to the twentieth floor, her floor.

Rukia slammed her back against the close, cold metal door. Controlling her breathing and calming down her raging beating heart as she turned around and pushed the metal door open, peering around the corner for any form of life. "Coast is clear…" She whispered to herself and marched in the brightly lit hall way quietly until she arrived to her hotel room. She struggled slightly with her room key, but when the door finally opened she rushed in her room and the feeling of the wooden door touching her back relaxed her immediately. Her legs quivered underneath her weight, they couldn't support her anymore and caused her to collapse onto the ground.

Throwing her sketch book and pencil to the side of the room, Rukia closed her eyes, wanting to forget the stares that he had given her, but dear God she couldn't! The thoughts that rushed through her mind when he touched her… _"Damn it."_ Why did she remember every single thing he had done to her up there, and they only met once!? From his goddamn eyes to his body and even to his damn voice. Back and forth she shook her head, almost as if she could take those images out of her mind. She took no notice of her appearance, paid no mind to the time. Pft, for all she knew she only had twenty minutes before the Others' meeting started. Emotions that she had shut away in the back dark corner of her mind slowly came back. Slimming their way through, spreading its arm around her in a unwanted embrace.

"_Why can't I stop it?_" She wondered. It was like a tsunami, overflowing her such force that even made it hard to breath. "It hurts…" She then groaned. After years and years of controlling her emotions: not getting embarrassed, not getting angry, keeping her hopes down; and it all easily came crashing down when their eyes met, when his warm skin touched her much cooler one. She cursed and remembered that he smelled of husky sandalwood mix with evening musk. _"I still see him in my mind! No, no, no. Never again shall I see that animal and never again am I going to lose control."_She scolded herself like a child, digging her fingers into her scalp as she curled herself into a ball.

She felt drained, she wanted to stay in her fetal position for at least a week or so, but that did not stop Rukia from getting up from the rough carpet floor and dragging herself to the bathroom. She stripped herself slowly; her clothing felt as if they were covered in dirt and nasty murky water instead of feeling normal ripped clothing.

Wearily she entered the shower and twisted the knob clockwise, the shower head released slowly at first, Rukia gritted her teeth and bit her lips together as she tried to ignore the icy cold water hitting her skin repeatedly. She wanted -no, she needed- to freeze her emotions. She needed to gain control over herself.

Eyes fogging over, she finally let the unkind water pound on her fair skin until she felt her whole body numbed with cold. Numb was what she wanted to feel, to feel nothing was glories in her mind. She could live as long as God would let her, and not worry over the pseudo things in life. She didn't even bother to move towards the product of shampoo or soap as an alternative. For the next ten minutes, Rukia stayed still in the shower allowing beads after beads of water slide down her body until she was snapped out of her stupor by a knock on the front door.

"Rukia-chan?" Rangiku's voice reached her ears. "Are you here? If you are, say something…. Hey, if you are in there don't you dare ignore me! I came down here -looking for you- because you're needed at the meeting which starts in…seven minutes!" Rukia shut off the shower and grabbed the nearest bathrobe she could reach. Rukia shuffled her way out the bathroom and went to the front of the door. She opened the door as Rangiku was about to scream her name. "Oh, you are here…and you took a shower?"

"Ah, I spilled some wine on myself and thought I should change and take a quick shower. You know, I must look presentable in front of the councilor of the Others." Moving out of the way, Rukia let Rangiku enter her room as she tightened her towel more securely. "I'm going to change right now- if you like you can wait for me."

"Hm, sure." Rangiku plopped herself on a chaise longue as she watched Rukia run back and forth from the bathroom to the bedroom. After three minutes Rangiku became sick of sitting still and got up when Rukia was using magic to dry her hair faster and applying some make-up on. With a tiresome groan she goes through Rukia's clothing in her suitcase and pulled out a dress. "Here just throw this on and forget about you make-up. You look fine, with or without it, and we really don't have time, Hun."

"Fine. Fine…" Placing the white cocktail dress that Rangiku chucked at her, Rukia checked her in the reflection quickly. Her hair fell down over her shoulders silently as the tips stuck to her skin. The second dress she was force to wear -by Rangiku again- was a flimsy ivory cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline, an empire waist, and a flowing skirt that reached up to her mid-thighs. "I don't remember packing this, Rangiku."

"Of course not, Sweetie, I packed it!" Rangiku grinned hugely as she took a hold of Rukia's hands and pulled her away from her room. "And must I say I'm glad I did." Ignoring every protest that was coming from Rukia's lips, Rangiku once again took her into the same elevator from earlier and told the Bellboy, once again, to head up to the last floor. "Come on Rukia-chan it's going to be fun."

"As fun as being chased?" Rukia muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing" Rangiku caught Rukia's bored tone and simply shook her head.

"Antisocial…" She singed.

~*~*~*~

"Clever witch," Not caring that he was standing in his birthday suit in the cold, Ichigo had already started to plan how he was going to 'accidentally' meet up with his witch again. "And next time I won't let you go that easily." He growled as she sniffed the air once more and grinned when he got another sweep of her scent.

She was the finest female he had ever seen. With a lush heart-shaped ass, soft pale skin, and such a petit slender body. It felt like a fire had started when he grabbed her, when he humped her through the thin piece of cloth covering her core. Her eyes were amazing as well, a dark blue with long fluttering lashes. It was as if she had all the world's secrets in the palm of her hands, and was teasing him with hidden wealth and treasure with her coy smiles and mischievous glances. Damn, it made him sweat and slobber in excitement. She was completely perfect for him.

Once the ten minutes had passed Ichigo stepped out from the green house and then realized how possessive his tone was when he was thinking about her, but his gut instinct told him that it was because _she_ belonged to him and only him. His mate. Even when she had left him all alone on the roof in the cold and raced away from him-almost naked-down the steps…"Fuck!" He cursed loudly when he realized she was naked -or at least she was close to being naked- and she went by herself down the lonesome staircase.

All of these possibilities came to his mind, torturing him: what if someone else sees her? Try to take advantage of her? God damn he should've marked her when he had a chance. He was right there as well, nibbling and licking at her tender neck, and if he had bitten her he could have then marked her as his mate. His mark would be on her and that would be giving a clear and threatening message to any Others that she -that delectable witch- was his and only his.

Then by given law if any Others dare to lay their hands on her, he had every right to tear that said person apart without feeling guilt. Now humans on the other hand, he couldn't rip them apart but that doesn't mean he can't beat a little sense in them, right? "I should've marked her, she was right there!" Ichigo moaned as he rubbed his eyes, he wanted her standing next to him. He wanted to protect her at all cost; his lovely mate with those blue eyes. Ichigo grabbed his clothing and forced them on. If he was quick enough he might be able to catch her, mark her and then go to the meeting feeling confident and peace in mind.

Ichigo pulled his clothing on when he heard his cell phone ringing. Grumbling he searched for it in his pants' pocket and answered it, "What!?"

"Where the hell are you, my Boy!? The meeting is going to start in ten minutes I need you down here now!"

Ichigo pulled the phone away and cursed into the harsh wind before bringing the phone back to his ear and groaned loudly, "I'll be there so relax already, Old Man." Even if he didn't want to.

"So… what were you doing up on the roof?" Ichigo could hear the grin in his Dad's voice.

"How in hell did you know I was on the roof, Old Man!? Are you stalking me or something!?"

"I saw you!" Isshin grinned big even if Ichigo couldn't see it "Is there someone up there that can provide me with grandchildren!?" Isshin heard silence for the next five seconds before gasping out loud "My Boy, don't tell me you already-"

"Stop being a pervert, Goat Face!" Ichigo swung the roof's door open and rushed down stairs as he fixed his tie and wedged his phone between his shoulder and cheek. The sooner he got to the meeting and finished it the faster he can look for his Witch. "I'll see you there, ok?"

"Fine my Son but I do hope you will ready for a big surprise when you arrive." Before Ichigo could demand what his Dad was talking about he heard the annoying dial tone and slammed his phone shut and stuffed it violently into his pocket.

"Crazy Old Man." He mumbled to himself as he crashed into the metal door -because of his speed- and opened it up. Ichigo had his Dad and his retard grin in his face when he opened the door. Ichigo scowled at his Alpha as he grunted out what he wanted.

"Nothing, my Boy. Now let's go, we only have a couple of minutes left." Ichigo followed this alpha wolf out of the Others' party. Isshin led him down several hallways until a man both Isshin and Ichigo had not seen in two years appeared. Ishida, one of the last Quincy, donned a normal black suit with cuffs that held the Quincy symbol on it.

"Kurosaki-san." Ishida greeted the Alpha with respect and let out a smile towards the Alpha. Isshin was like a real Father figure in Ishida's life, after his Grandfather had passed away when he was ten. It was Isshin and his Luna, Masaki, who had comforted him when he was a child. Not even his own father came to Ishida's grandfather's funeral. He didn't even took him in until he was seventeen years old. It had always been the kind-hearted Kurosakis that looked out for him, and Ishida felt like he could never pay them back for their kindness.

"Nice to see you again, Ishida-kun, my Boy, how you been and if I'm not being rude, why are you here in Japan again after two years?" Isshin patted the young elf that once lived in his home, and was practically his son and a brother to Ichigo -even if Ichigo will never admit it-on the shoulder.

"I can't tell you why I am here Kurosaki-san; however, I will be able to inform you later on during the meeting." Ishida nodded his head at Isshin in an apologetic jester before giving Ichigo an inferior stare, "Kurosaki."

Ichigo sneered at him, "Ishida." Even if that Quincy pansy man lived in his house before, Ichigo will never consider him nothing more than a mere thorn in his side. Okay maybe that was a lie but he was too manly to openly admit that Ishida was like Chad, a close friend and a brother from another mother.

Ishida frowned at him when they continue to follow Isshin down the hall. They only walked for a minute or so before they stopped in front of a black ironwood door with golden incrust plate in the left saying the ordinary slogan, "Meeting Room." But what made this meeting room unique out of the many meeting rooms in the hotel was that fact that this door only open to the Others' leaders with a thumb print indicator.

Isshin placed his thumb on the Thumb I.D print scanner and pushed the door open when it gave the approved 'beep'. They were welcome to the sight of a long pine table, one chair at each end of the table and seven seats on each side. Every chair was taken with the exception for four that were unoccupied. Isshin took his sit on the opposite end table of the head council, Yamamoto Genryuusai, who had his two adopted sons Kyouraku Shunsui of Spain and Ukitake Jyuushiro of France next to him.

Ichigo and Ishida sat next to each other and were between the British representative, Unohana Retsu, and the Chinese representative, Soi Fong while Isshin had both Ichimaru Gin of Romina and Aizen Sousuke of Italy on each side.

The air in the room was heavy and too tense for Ichigo's own liking. The booming voice of Yamamoto Genryuusai echoed through the room with a force beyond belief. "This meeting is about to start and it seems we are missing a guest. Where is Kuchiki-?"

"I'm quite sorry for being late, Yamamoto-sama." A polish and refined voice entered the room and amazingly smoothed over the harsh voice of the head council's. Every head shifted away from the powerful man and onto the petite form standing at the door way. Her head was held up high with authority and a pleasant coy smile was on her plump lips. Her posture was perfect and so was her dress and hair. Holding no hesitation, she walked into the room and took her seat between Kurotsuchi Mayuri of Germany and Komamura Sajin of Mexico. Never once noticing the orange hair man sat across the table from her with a crafty smirk on his handsome face.

Ichigo's heart started to beat faster and he felt his breath growing harsher with every passing moment. He desperately tried to control himself when her sweet silhouette appeared from the door, and dear Lord he was about to attack her when she sat across from him. "_Damn the Gods must love me today,_" he told himself as he trailed the movements of her body. He took in a great delight when her eyes widen a fraction when they connected with his. His hands started to sweat, and sadly for his poor body, his earlier erection came back for a visit. Ichigo noticed grumbling that she looked refresh and refine, his scent was washed off her body, and her eyes were hard ice glares nothing like what he had seen up on the roof.

Besides that, Ichigo happily noticed that he gotten a great view of not only her face but a very nice view down her shirt, "_Hello cleavage." _He smirked teasingly at himself as he made conclusion that life at this moment was extremely perfect for him.

Drinks started passing around the room and it seemed that Yamamoto decided to say nothing about Rukia's tardiness. One by one, the representative introduced themselves, and from the look of each spokesperson, Ichigo felt incredible power scorching off each and every one of them. Some had an aloof auras or a menacing ones, than some had bored looks on their face, others anxious, while the rest seem to be impassive or friendly. Ichigo, his Dad, and Yamamoto are from Japan so they found no need to explain who they are.

For the second time since Rukia entered the room everyone, expect Yamamoto, had their head either facing her or Ishida, waiting for their introduction. Both of them had blank looks on their face, both sat up straight and firm. Ishida was the first to break the short silence by clearing his throat, "I'm Ishida Uryuu, from the United States of America."

Ichigo's mind then reeled back to Kuchiki Byakuya, the ambassador of America. Briefly he wondered what had happened to him, but the witty smile on Rukia's face called him back to reality. She had a Mona Lisa smile as she kept her eyes on Ichigo, "And I'm filling in for Kuchiki Byakuya from the United States. I'm his daughter, Kuchiki Rukia." Unperturbed, Rukia took the notepad that was place in front of her since the beginning of the meeting and shield her face from the water that squirted from Ichigo's mouth.

"What?" His shout almost made Rukia jump out of seat from the intensity.

"What's wrong Kurosaki?" Ishida's voice was cool but threatening.

"She's that Stick-up-his-ass daughter?" Isshin came for the "not-rescue" by slamming Ichigo's head on the table with a frown plaster on his face.

"My Son, don't talk about Rukia-chan's Father like that." He turned to Rukia and made his frown into a grin, "Ah, Rukia-chan please forgive my son for his stupidity."

"Thank you, and of course Kurosaki-san. But I think this is not the time and place for play fighting and useless attempt. For I have a serious matter on hand that will and shall affect severely each and every one of us in this room." The tone of the lithe voice haunted the room like fog in an abounded highway, chills crawled down everyone spines even if some wouldn't like to admit it.

Her unfathomable eyes reach the Head council's, "And what is this 'serious matter' that you are going to inform us with, Kuchiki?"

"Hollows." The room instantly was filled with commotion at the mention of the name of the unknown. Soft spoken voices merger together with fierce ones, statement and declaration came from left and right, high intelligent words with inanity words, etiquette with the recklessness all mixed together like a tornado.

"Silence!" The commanding voice of Yamamoto was loud and gave of a hint of anger. Every Others in the room calmed down immediately at the powerful voice and settled themselves into their seats. Rukia and Ishida were unmoved by the volume of his voice and both look tranquil as they sipped on their water. "Now Kuchiki, would you mind to tell us what you are talking about?"

"Of course, Yamamoto-san." Setting her cup down her gaze met up the powerful man's before sweeping it across the room. "November 27th of this year at nine o' clock PM in Washington D.C there was an attack. A tear in the sky that shouldn't have been there, and Hollows, one by one, came out destroying homes of humans and Others all alike. Then a man in white clothing, whose name is Ulquiorra Schiffer, came out. This man came up to my Father and me to warn us of an upcoming war between the Others and the Hollows."

"Wait one moment right there Princess! Are you telling us this son of a bitch is declaring war on us!?" Rukia raised her eyebrow in detest from the nickname that Zaraki Kenpachi of Russia gave her when he smashed his hand onto the table. The bells on his hair rang in distortion and his face generated up a bloodlust smile, "Damn I can't wait to slice them-"

"Silence Zaraki!" Yamamoto glared fearlessly at Zaraki, "Sit down; I would like to know the rest of this incident before coming into a conclusion!" His eyes turned onto Rukia and with a commanding tone he asked her to continue.

"Naturally my Father questioned this man, asking why war? Mr. Schiffer simply answered with the rhetorical question, 'why not war?' And with that he said that this is not a declaring of war but a word of warning. He wants us to prepare for this war. My Father and the rest of the Others' of America were having a discussion whether we should inform the humans of us and this war." Once again commotion filled the room and not even Yamamoto booming voice can cool down the arguments. Rukia took another swig of her water as the chaotic noise of voice surrounded her.

"I demand silence!" The tension of the room froze and there were even some soft layers of ice covering some representatives around Rukia. Cold mist of air left her lips, "I was not done, as Yamamoto had said before, let's not jump into any conclusion. Am I understood?" Rukia saw the bobbing of heads from almost everyone, "Good. As I was saying, the discussion to warn the humans of this war was and still is undecided. Mr. Schiffer did not say anything about attacking any other country. But he said this war is for the Others. This affects all of us".

"So my Father had asked for this meeting of all the representatives of the major countries and continents, and I am in place for him since he came down with an illness. He wants to know the decision, and wants to know it quickly."

"But my dear, a decision like this is too big to consider it in one meeting." The firm fatherly voice of Ukitake Jyuushiro of France floated towards Rukia. His French was accent as clear as daylight while he spoke in English, "We need more time to discuss this, _n'est-ce pas_?"

"I agree my dear old friend!" Kyouraku Shunsui of Spain ran a hand through his hair, "This is a _muy importante_ and _delicado_ matter we have at hand, and we cannot make a decision right away. It would be foolish and a great risk."

"Of course it is." Soi Fong opened her deadly sharp eyes, "We, as a community of Others, have never once been threaten to war that involves all of the Others. We only had wars like the Fae-Demon War or the Battle of Weres."

"Indeed, and this not only affects us but this war can also affect the humans." Unohana Retsu soft voice was filled with concern.

"And you must not forget that we are in the middle of having a discussion with the humans about our revealing." Hitsugaya Toushirou of Iceland spoke, "if we don't reveal who we are to them then, it can cause trouble in the future if war does break out."

"Miss Kuchiki, these hollows that you spoke of and this 'Mr. Schiffer' please tell me more about them."

Rukia cringed slightly at the insane voice of Kurotshuchi Mayuri of Germany. "Certainly, the hollows have a weak point which is their mask. The only way to defeat hollows quickly and easy is to slice them through the mask with any weapon blessed by the Seraphim–the highest ranking among angels on Heaven-or ultimate them with any powers if you have.

The insane scientist nodded his head, "Go on."

"Mr. Schiffer is a hollow as well," Rukia ignored the rounds of gasp in the room and maintain patient until it was quiet again, "He said he was an Espada, the fourth to be correct. And before anyone can ask I don't know what an 'Espada' is. But whatever it is, it represents what he is, the enemy. Any more questions?"

"Of course not, thank you Ms. Kuchiki." Rukia mentally rolled her eyes at the suggestion and desire in the scientist's voice.

"Actually I do Rukia-chan." Isshin shoved Mayuri away and threw one of his arms around her. "About informing the humans, what are your thoughts about?"

"Dad, get your arm off of her!" The slamming of Ichigo's fist next to Rukia's face caused her to turn around and she saw the Alpha wolf was down for the count.

"Thank you for that Kurosaki, but I can handle things myself so don't interrupt." Rukia sneered at him silently and forced her lips to curve into a smile.

"Kuchiki, please do tell us what you think of us telling the humans."

"Of course Yamamoto-san, I think we should not-"

"Why the hell shouldn't we?" Ichigo cut her off surprising her; never once had someone stopped her in mid sentence like this -beside Rangiku. The Wolf leaned forward and glared at her with such a force that sweat started to flow down the back of her neck. She felt the bubbling of heat coiling in her stomach from his stare and Rukia then thinks back to the incident on the roof. She tried in vain to stop the blush that was trying to bloom on her cheeks but fail when he got closer and his breath touched her lips. "They have the right to know don't they, Rukia?" He grounded out. He smirked widely from her blush and he wondered if she was thinking about what happen on the roof and was regretting leaving him up there all alone.

"It's Kuchiki to you, Kurosaki, and what right?" She finally said as she tilted her head back and met his hot glare with her much cooler one. "As far as I know they think of us as monster, and if we inform them of this, undeclared war, then they will detest us further more."

"I would prefer for them to _detest_ us then having them died, Rukia!" Purposely using her first name Ichigo saw an anger whirled wind of a blizzard form in her blue eyes.

"They will get in the way, Kurosaki." She firmly said back, and restrained herself from yelling. She knew better than yelling and childish dispute with an uneducated wolf. From the corner of her eye she saw Ishida getting out of his seat and started to try and hold off Ichigo as he got even closer to her.

"How?"

"By trying to seize us and placing us in prisons. And if a war does start they will get involved when it has nothing to do with them." Instantly she was out of seat, back straight as she looked down at him. "Humans fear and try to avoid war, what do you think what will happen if 'some' citizens of their county are going at war with Hollows, and these citizens going to war are fictional creatures coming alive. They have no idea about of you, me, or us. Do you think they will help us or do you think they will help themselves first?"

"So you are saying we shouldn't tell them that their homes might become a battle ground against some Hollows they don't know?" Pushing Ishida off of him Ichigo finally got up and leaned forward, "What kind of sick logic is that?"

"It's not sick it's called using your brain, which you lack, Kurosaki." Ignoring the fact that his face was merely three inches to close for comfort, Rukia kept going with her argument.

"If we drag them into this war, if we let them know, if we lose, they will shun us and despises us. It's not the right time."

"So when is the right time, Rukia?" Ichigo felt the soft cool breath of Rukia's fanning his face as he got closer, "When they're six feet under?"

Opening her mouth to response Rukia was cut off by Yamamoto, "Enough! Both of you sit, now!" With one last glare between Ichigo and Rukia they both reluctantly did what the Bahamut Dragon asked them to do. "Kuchiki how long did your Father say he wanted an answer by."

"Three months."

"Perfect. That gives us time to decide what to do about the war."

The shaggy brown hair that was sitting next to Isshin cleared his throat, "What about the humans, Signore Yamamoto?"

"This is an uncertain verdict that we cannot mend at this time, Aizen."

"So what do you assume we should do, Mr. Yamamoto?" The man across of the representative of Italy, Ichimaru Gin of Romina spoke up, "I think we should get more information before deciding anything." The silver hair man with slit eyes turned towards Rukia's position; he gave her a smile that closed up her throat. "Did this…Mr. Schiffer said anything about returning?"

The feeling of her lips trembling didn't make it out when she answered him, "Yes, he said that he will return and give us new information."

"Anything else?"

She couldn't shake off the feeling of snakes swarming around her, slithering around her and on her. Constricting throat almost as she couldn't breathe, but not wanting this man to know that he was intimidating her, Rukia summoned up control and remembered that she was a Kuchiki, and a Kuchiki do not get frightened. "No."

"I have come into a conclusion." Everyone once again faced the oldest Dragon and head council, "I, Yamamoto, head of council of the Others' decree that Kuchiki Rukia work together with the Beta of _Llave __Negro del Destino_ and head of security, Kurosaki Ichigo, to come up with any more deduction or information about the enemy." Both representatives of American mouth hung wide open, not believing what just came out of the Dragon's mouth.

While Ichigo and Isshin mentally cheered for their luck, Ishida jumped out of his sit, "Yamamoto-sama I think it would not be wise to set these two-"

"And why not Ishida?" Ichigo and Ishida have a stared off. "I think this is none of your damn business."

"Because from the display you just shown us right now, I think Kuchiki-sama would appreciate if his only daughter is not around a fiend like yourself." Pushing back his glasses he turned towards Yamamoto, "I think it would be better-"

"Ishida," Rukia cut off Ishida and Isshin, who was about to say something, and got up from her sit calmly, "I do not need your protection, you are here as companion of these matters. Not being my bodyguard. Yamamoto has decreed it himself."

Being catch off guard Ishida nodded his head and sat down once again. The atmosphere of the room was cold enough to freeze a volcano until Isshin jumped in and hugged Rukia tightly again, "Ah Rukia-chan is such a scary but beautiful person!" He let her go and smiled brightly at her. "I'm sure my son will be a gentleman, won't you Ichigo?"

Catching on, Ichigo nodded his head, "Of course I will, so don't get your panties in a bunch, Rukia. I'll be a perfect gentleman."

Looking between the two men Rukia shrugged away the older wolf's hands, "A gentleman is just a patient wolf in disguise." Paying no mind to the expression that passed on their faces Rukia looked toward the Dragon, "Since it's late, and I think we all said what was needed at the moment; we should call off this meeting for now and save it for a rainy day."

"I agree with you Kuchiki-san, meeting adjourn. We will meet up again in a week after letting all of this information sinks in." With a nod he got up and left the room with everyone in tow.

Rukia rushed off to find Rangiku before the wolf could find her. As she stormed out of the halls she was stopped by long fingers curving around her covered arm. "Kuchiki-san," Rukia turned around and saw the tall Quincy elf behind her.

"Ishida, can I help you?" Rukia and Ishida fell into a calm tempo as they walked closer to the party.

Ishida at first said nothing, keeping his glaze away from Rukia, "Kurosaki Ichigo, is a good person." He started. "He is impatient and stubborn…but I can grantee you that if you are in trouble, Kurosaki will always be there for you."

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked.

The elf sighed loudly, "Because I saw the way he looked at you. Kurosaki was never as good as you in keeping his emotions inside and not letting it be reflected on his face. He looked at you in such a way that I felt that I have no right to interfere with what will ever happen between you two in the future. That is why I am telling you, Kurosaki is a good man. He will not hurt someone, especially a female, without a fair cause. He is a man that you can count on." Ishida purposely let out the part where Ichigo's stares reminded him of the stares that Isshin gave to his wife when she was alive.

Beside him Rukia stayed quiet. She wanted to tell him that nothing was going to happen between her and the wolf, but her mind told her that she cannot lie to herself. He was right; something was going to happen between them both, whatever it might be she realized she had to be prepare for it. "Anything else?"

"Yes, here." Ishida handed her something cold in her hand, and Rukia frown at the item. "You're sick, Rukia, close to dying. You can't drop things like this anywhere. What if-"

"I understand. I do not need to be lecture on this once again, Ishida. Accidents happen." It been a whole five minutes since they entered the Others' party once again. Her hands toyed with the cold distinct plastic in her hand, "You can go and be with the Auburn hair woman now." Rukia grinned slyly at him, "I saw you staring at her for an awhile, and you can leave me. I was heading back to my hotel room anyway."

Ishida blushed three shades of red as he cleared his throat, "Um…thanks Kuchiki-san." And before she knew it she was alone, standing close to the wall as she saw Ishida scampered towards the woman with brown eyes.

She felt foreign all the sudden in the crowded room. Standing alone she watched the world as if it was behind a glass window. Far away from her safe life in Washington D.C. or at least when it was safe. But at the same time it was refreshing to stand and being the Wallflower that she truly was. With political parties or parties involving Kuchiki's getting an advantage over something, she usually would be dancing with good-rich-suitors that will be able to hold the Kuchiki name respectfully. She would be talking about matters that were to mature for her youthful age of 19. Sometimes Rukia wondered what would have happen if she were born into a normal family. Would she be in her first year of college right now? Would she be talking to her friends about every single details of her life?

Pushing herself off the wall she walked through the crowd of dancing Others as she saw Ishida dancing with the brown eye girl once more. "Kurosaki Ichigo a good man is he?" She asked him even if he didn't hear her. She was about to leave when she saw something that made her want to shout in rage and shock.

Rukia saw her blonde friend flirting with three men but what made Rukia lose her temper was the drunken Momo Rangiku had next to her. Great. "Ran-san you let Momo drink!?"

"Well, of course! She didn't want to so I forced it down here throat!" The blonde grinned at her as she did hand jesters as to how she forced poor Momo to drink. Rukia shook her head at Rangiku's logic and grabbed the star-seeing Momo.

"When and not if, Hitsugaya finds it out he is going to explode and kill you!" Moving the drunken older girl into a better position in her arms Rukia glared at Rangiku one last time. "I'm taking Momo to Hitsugaya. Also don't do anything you will regret later, Ran-san!"

"Okay and tell Captain I don't regret getting Momo being drunk…" Rangiku tripped over her last words as she saw Rukia taking Momo away, "Damn I need another drink…"

~*~*~*~

Rukia sighed as she escaped the party and the unwanted attention that many men gave her. And she was right; Hitsugaya did explode when he saw Momo drunk and calling him, "Shiro-chan" in front of his important business partners. Leaving Hitsugaya to handle Momo and taking her to their hotel room, Rukia was now speed walking down the hall. Before she left the party she saw a head of orange hair calling out for her and she did not want to see that man again. Not because of what happened in the meeting room but what happen on the roof.

For the first time Rukia allowed her instinct to take her away from the party, but it failed as she heard her name once again. "What do you want, Kurosaki? And it's Kuchiki to you!"

The orange hair wolf was panting briefly and stared at her, "Damn you're fast…but um, I want to say sorry for…what happen on the roof and all." Ichigo fidgeted slightly from under Rukia's eyes. He felt some butterflies in his stomach but he shoved them aside, "I didn't know what came over me and all…must have been wolf instincts and all. So I'm sorry."

Studying him under her frosty glaze, she truly wanted to punch, slap, and kick him. Mostly because he made her felt such emotions after she had escaped from him at the roof. But she kept her ice queen composure, and unconsciously tilted her head up a bit. "Don't know if I should take this as an apology. Since you can either sincerely mean it or you just think it's the right thing to do since you now know who I am." Rukia turned to walk off when a warm hand grabbed her upper arm, close to her shoulder, touching the slim expose flesh.

_-Don't leave me again...-_

"Hey why don't you get off your high and mighty horse and see that I'm really am saying sorry." Ichigo ignored the feeling of her skin under his hand and ignored the increasing heat that was swirling in his loins. "I'm not saying 'sorry' just because you are a Kuchiki; your name means nothing to me."

Taking a good look at him Rukia reluctantly realized that he was never going to leave her alone; groaning in defeat, she gave in. "Fine I will forgive you. Now if you please let go of my arm…" Rukia ripped her arm away from his grip and when her arm was free Rukia noticed how cold she then felt, and she was suddenly sad when the cool air in the hallway soothed away the warmth she had just felt. But the wind did not sooth away the major heated headache and the raw starting in her throat. "I'll be on my way. Good night, Kurosaki."

"Ichigo!" Stopping, Rukia turned around to face him again and Ichigo felt the tightness in his jeans increased and the same hunger he felt on the roof hit him in full force. He felt his member throbbing and his mouth watering from her refreshing scent. He had been trying to control his instinct of just hurling this witch over his shoulder and into a random closet where he could mark her as his and make love to her over and over again.

He then became aware that it wasn't only her scent that was driving him mad but it was also the way her eyes flicker with strong emotions when she was angry or annoyed. How her body would be composed and precise until she was caught off guard and her body movements turned into a wild lithe dance that captivated him. He swears to sweet Jesus during the meeting of Others; had he been in his wolf form, he would've been shaking his tail in delight and growling and howling when she entered.

Out from the torn dress-he doesn't regret ruining-she entered in a white dress, gloves on her hand, hair down, and face prim and proper once again. Her appearance almost begged him to ruin her dress again and chase her again to get her face a light pink shade like it was before. To see those grins she gave him on the roof again. "Can you call me Ichigo?" He finally asked after shouting his own name out loud like an idiot. Deep inside Ichigo wanted to hear her say his name once, just once. He didn't want to be cluster together with his dad as 'Kurosaki'. Therefore as he saw her eyes flashed with uncertainly made him slightly nervous, and all he can do was breathe in her scent.

"Fine, since it seems you are calling me by my first name, it's only proper if I call you by your first name." Nodding once again she started to walk off leaving a dumbfounded Ichigo behind. "So once again, good night… Ichigo"

He was dead. He really thought he just had died, and now he felt like an idiot for getting all hyped up because she had just said his name. It was almost as if the sound of her voice wrapped around his name was a sweet virtue, every syllable was cared for and pronounce clearly for him. "I'm so pathetic…"

"You sure are my Son!" Red soon covered Ichigo's face as he rotated around and came face to face with his Dad and his video camera. "That was so cute how you wanted her to say your name!"

Not a second later Ichigo attacked his Dad, "Shut the hell up, Old Man!"

Isshin giggled like a girl and pranced away from Ichigo, "Are you sure my Son? Because you know _I_ can tell you where she is staying at and what room she is…"

"What hotel is she staying in?" Ichigo then somehow had gotten his Dad in a head locked and grounded out, "What room is she in?"

"Ichigo…can't … can't breathe…" Finally noticing his Dad's purple face Ichigo let go and got off the floor from when he tackled him, "You gotten stronger or what?"

"No, you're just older and weaker," Disregarding the cries from the Alpha, Ichigo grabbed him from the collar, "So, Daddy Dear, where is she staying?"

Even if Isshin was a wolf he couldn't help but let out a Cheshire Cat smile made its way on to his bristly face. "Why my Son…she's staying here in our own hotel."

~*~*~*~

Holding her head as she pushed herself closer to the dark corner of her hotel bedroom Rukia choked back a cry. "Go away…" She whispered as she gritted her teeth and desperately tried to shake her head. Her fingers scraped against her scalp and her legs pushed up closer to her chest. How pathetic was she? Trying to hide away from her fears by crawling away, by running away. She hated it

Shadows danced in disgusting rhythm, moving across walls after walls in a mocking beam. They had freedom, and she does not. Her mind pounded yet it felt empty, her eyes squeezed shut to find closure in the darkness yet she found none. Then slowly one shadow came towards huddling position against the wall, slanting slowly from side to side, a dusk of a malice smile stretched from one corner of its face to the other.

Its hand was bind with black as it reached towards her, hollow whites stared at her, and she even felt shadows behind her. She felt its hand grabbing her hair in a remote grip. Whispers of her coveted past rained over her form, she whimpered at the mocking gentleness from the shadow. She writhed away from its pseudo love and care. She choked out another whispered for it to go away but it didn't disappear.

The hand swept down and grabbed her chin forcefully, "Look at me!" Rukia was shaken at the scream in her ears and looked up to see nothing. Her heart beat was out of control, pounding against her rib cage as if it was trying to escape the container of her body. Her legs slid down in front of her as her arms fell into a heap on her sides.

She still heard whispers of lifeless people, souls, in her ear and her eyes gently glazed over as she licked her lips, her thoughts ran across her mind. Questions after questions are all asking the same thing. _Why, why?_

But she already knew the answer to her dim-witted questions. It was Destiny. God damn Destiny that destroyed her and her life. Took away almost all of the important people in her life that she cared for, and it even took away the life she once craved for when she was young.

Silently she got up, her limbs felt as if they were sluggish and useless, and she made her way to the tidy made bed. The gold dust red of the covers would have look lovely but in the dark it looked as if it was absorbed by the walls of the room. She climbed onto of the covers and laid there, looking at the blank ceiling.

All she knew and cared about was to forget. Forget where she was and what she was. She wanted to disappear. The moment she entered her hotel room after leaving Ichigo in the hall she was overcame with nausea and ran towards the bathroom to throw up. Then memories slipped over her hotly and thickly like candle wax, paralyzing her. She remembered going into a frenzy trying to locate her sketch and when she finally found it in her drawer her hand went insane across the paper. She left marks, thick and thin lines, shading, gradating, and so much more everywhere. The queasiness never left her as she drew randomly.

She then threw the pencil down and left the sketchbook as she once again ran into the bathroom. She vomited once more in the toilet, fell into the tub, and accidently turned on the water on her way down. She didn't want to think about the blood she had vomited; she tried to focus on her new sketch. "A mask…" The mask was a simple one; it has three lines coming down from the left side as if they were thick cuts make by a big, swift claws.

A cruel taunting grin that would rival the devils was imprinted on its face; and slit sharp holes as its eyes. It would scare most people since its presence sent chills down her own bones. But surprisingly, she wasn't scared of the mask. Instead she felt that this mask held something in the future for her. Something dear, perhaps. And she wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She then stepped away from the bathroom and clumsily stripped her clothing off her body.

Now here she was, here she was currently in her fake bedroom lying on the sheets of her fake bed. Unwilling letting sleep slowly consume her. Playing with the water that fell from her hair she started to hum a lullaby. Mentally laughing at the irony of the lyrics but she still sang the sweet lullaby she remembered her mother's soft voice once sang to her.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to everyone that is finished reading this chapter. I once again would like to thank my beta and wish for everyone's happiness. **_

_**Please review, I would love to hear your comments, questions, and concerns. But most of all I would like to know what you think of my fic, please review!**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**A/N: ;________; The grammar and probable spelling are going to be really…really horrific since one of my beta-ers left me because of personal reasons. So please forgive all the mistakes in this chapter, and I'm going to try to look for a new beta. ^^**_

_**I also want to dedicate this chapter to **_**Aeriesboots**_** who have always been kind enough to give me advice. Thank you.**_

_**So, once again, please forgive me for the large amount of mistakes you are about to encounter. I'm looking for a new beta as I speak…write! **_

_**So here you go…**_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_**First Encounter**_

It's different when you meet someone through the phone, and meet them in person. It's different to hear stories of events and when you witness them up front.

To be the astronomer or the astronaut. To see the moon in a photograph or to see the moon under your feet.

A first encounter is all I need to place you in your own special category in my life. Let it be family, friend, or something more or less than that.

To encounter real danger will not only have an effect on me, but on us. Problems which we will stumble upon. Problems that will have the power to take you away from me. Not because you are force to. But because you want to.

There are the setbacks in our lives which will make you want to get up and run away. Obstacles in my life, that I need to handle when I come across them. With or without you.

The first time I met you, why did everything fall into place so perfectly? Did I stop questioning the future because I knew you were always going to be a part of it? Why did your presences and existences affect me so greatly?

Our first encounter…was it more than it should have been?

~*~*~*~

It had been three days since Rukia met Ichigo on the roof, and since then she had been avoiding him like the plague. She had spent those three days in the library, or more exactly the only Others library in the world. Digging out any type of information that she thought would be useful. She already called her father and informed him of the predicament she was in. From the moment she set foot in Japan, and every single detail that had happened during the day of the meeting- with the exception of the beta that had wanted to play chase with her. The only thing he told her was, "Keep me updated." then hung up.

Rukia scratched her head as she pulled another book away from the piles of books she had surrounding her. Being on the third floor of Karakura Library happened to be the best place for her to look for any kind of information involving the Others'. Here she had been walking up and down the few aisles of books that were as old as time. Some were written on leather and others were written on stone. Rukia took out every single piece of text to which she thought could be useful and placed them in the "unread" pile.

And here she sat, unrewarded, in the middle of her circle of books. She placed another book that had no evidence of what she needed in the "no-go" pile. She had been doing this for three days straight, or at least until she was sleepy. Skimming through books, deciding if what was inside it was helpful or not, and placing it in a pile. So far there are piles of "no-go" and nothing in the "go" pile.

The only person that knew where she was, was Ishida. Momo would had told Rangiku who will then blab it out to the whole world, and she did not want that since she have been avoiding her partner in this affair, Kurosaki Ichigo, for the last three days.

So, she declared herself a hypocrite. For even after she had scolded Ishida for being worried about her being partnered up with Ichigo. She didn't keep her promise to the head dragon and working alone. With great difficulty Rukia had barely escaped the beta wolf's clutches. By having her scent, Ichigo could have followed her with no sweat. Which he done during the day after the meeting. It took her almost two hours to shake him off.

It was then, she decided that if she dare leave this building, he would find her. So the only time she would actually leave the third floor was when her bodily needs kicked in, but beyond that she didn't move from the floor. Glancing at the pocket watch like necklace Rukia sigh at the time as her stomach growled. "Noon is almost two hours away." She sulked, and hoped silently that Ishida didn't forget to bring her lunch.

From the moment Rukia had started her unsuccessful research, it was Ishida who had been sneaking her food. And for being a paranoid witch that she was, Rukia always reminded Ishida to make sure that Ichigo does not see or sense him while he does. Having that orange hair wolf here with her will only distract her, and she can't have that. She has too much responsibility at the moment to play fetch with Mr. Wolfie.

Groaning loudly, she threw the blue first edition volume of "_Idols_ _and Temples_" she had in her hand in the 'no-go' pile. Then, once more she reached for another book and begun to skim through it "Espada. Espada. Espada." She repeated, and flew through page after page and fruitlessly discovered nothing. "Damn…" Vainly placing the book in the "no-go" pile she rubbed her head and felt a headache approaching.

"Great, I'm getting a headache…" Forcibly she got up from the floor, and tried to look for any more books that she might have missed in her earlier investigation. She allowed her fingers to trail along the binds, she read the titles and used her magic to trace any field of aura she had felt from when Ulquiorra Schiffer had appeared in Washington.

Almost to the last aisle she felt a shock run from her finger tip and looked up. Whatever spike she felt was on the top shelf and she cursed her height. Leaving to get the ladder that was on the other side, she grumbled as she linked the ladder to where she wanted and went up. A white book with black trimming was wedged between two much larger books. Making it look smaller in comparison. Hesitated at first, she planted a finger on top of the book and pulled it out. Looking at the cover she read the gothic font, _Pectus Pectoris Est Absentis_. "Latin," she mumbled to herself. Ambling her way down Rukia almost fell backwards but caught her balance at the last second, and embarrassedly looked around for anyone. Even though she knew she was alone. Rukia went back to her circle of books, and plopped herself in the middle of it. Trying desperately to open the small journal like book.

Temporarily, she forgot all about her headache since she now had something to do. Then, she cursed when she found out she couldn't open it. There was a magical seal on it and from the power immersing from it. The spell was weak. However, the more she studied it the more difficult she discovered it was to be for her to disperse it. It was an ancient spell. It was a weak one but very confusing and filled with confusing passages.

When she was younger, her favorite mentor in Spain used to tell her that spells were like puzzles. That it did not matter if she used a high level spell on her enemies because if the spell she used was too common or to easy to understand, her opponent could easily counterattack it. The more complicated a spell was-how it was written and how it was pronounce-the better.

With a small frown she dug back into her memories of Ancient Spells 101 classes, and tried to read the spell on the book. She caught not only Latin words in the sentence structure of the spell, but also Portuguese, some French, English, and other languages. She spent an hour sitting there staring into space, thinking and thinking. She wrote down words on a piece paper, scratched out the ones that didn't made sense, and circled ones that did.

She had an almost complete sentence to diffuse the spell but was missing one word. She was using mirror words along with reverse ones and backward. "_Terre_…or would it be _acqua_? Maybe it is _klucz_. Oh bloody hell why is this so difficult?" Rukia noticed that her bottom lip was raw from all the biting she been doing along her now tousle hair.

She then winced when she felt her bottom lip split open and she tasted blood. Metallic, thick, and slightly salty. That was when she felt something struck her. "Blood…_sangre_." She smiled widely, "A blood pact. Locked in and not out." Rukia placed her hand on the cover of the white book and repeated the now completed spell. There was nothing at first, only silence before a struck on wind came from the book and the sound of glass being broken.

Then that was it.

Rukia looked around. Expecting something more to take place. She didn't know why but she was expecting something bad to occur. But when nothing more happen, she felt disappointed. "I spent an hour removing this spell, and all I get is some wind?" She scoffed and then chuckled to herself for being so paranoid. "_I think I been hanging around Momo too much._" Finally, she opened the book, her fingers lingered on the title page. Lazily she felt the outward thrust of the thick ink, she read the title once more and outlined the pen drawn sketch of a human heart.

Rukia flinched when she heard a small squeak that the door made when opened, and quickly glanced at her necklace. Acknowledging that it was precisely noon. The hum her stomach made was happy when the thought of the food that Ishida must have brought for her cross her mind.

Not bothering to look up she kept flipping through the pages hopefully, "You can place the food on the ground Ishida. I think I might have found something."

"Well, that's great. Why don't you share it with me, since I am your partner after all." The deep demanding voice above her was not Ishida's she noticed. Identifying the voice as nonchalantly as she could, she moved her glaze up. Taking in normal black and white sneakers, dark blue jeans, a chain that must be connected to a wallet in the back pocket, a black shirt under a thick jacket, and then she came face to face with her partner's face.

His blazing amber eyes burned into her, and he simply lifted up a white bag that had, "Nami's Chinese Food" written on it. Another grumbling noise came from her stomach and he had the gulls to smirk at her as he sat down in front of her, "Hungry?"

Making it sound as cool and calm as possible, Rukia made a makeshift bookmark and set the book down beside her. "Well, Ichigo. I would be lying if I said 'no' so yes. I am hungry."

While taking the food out of the bag, Ichigo took the time to look at her under his short lashes. Her feet were bare and small, "_Really small_," he mused. She wore jeans, a thin grey cardinal sweater, and the same necklace she wore to the meeting three days ago. She had her hair held up by a white scrunchie, and he had to look away when he saw how red her lips were. He hardly noticed the beige leather gloves on her hands though.

"When you've stop staring at me, can you tell me how you found me?" Snapped out of stupor his eyes landed onto hers. Already having the chopsticks out Rukia graciously ate her food while he sat there like an idiot and gawked at her.

"Since the first day I went to your room, and before you ask my dad told me you're stayin' with us. I already sense you weren't there-in your room I mean-and I tried to chase after you on the first day, but lost you in the damn crowd." Breaking apart his own chopsticks, he took a white container filled with noodles and stuffed them in his mouth. Unlike Rukia he didn't gave a shit about being courteous. "So I ordered someone to call me once you got back to your room, but of course, you didn't go back." He said through his mouth full of food.

"Of course not. Why should I go back to my room when this library used to be a hotel? I just stayed in one of the unused room upstairs. Sorry, I interrupted you."

"Ah, no problem. Well yesterday, I followed Elf Boy, which was damn tricking since he kept disappearing in the swarm of people."

A dry chuckle left her, "I know, I had tried many times before to follow Ishida but he always somehow got away."

"Yeah, I saw nothing on the first two days. So today I got up extra early and saw him entering here with your breakfast, I supposed."

"You supposed right."

"So this time I knocked him out-"

"You what?!" Rukia started to cough slightly and tried to swallow down her food as tears stung her eyes. "What did you do with him?" She needed to ask. Never before in her life did she hear of someone knocking Ishida out. With his ears, his hearing was even slightly better than a wolf's. And she wasn't sure if she was asking because she was worry or because she was curious.

Ichigo looked surprise and repeated what he said. "I knocked him out, not that hard though. Just with my elbow, and I made sure not to cause him to bleed. And left him with your Blond American friend." He explained.

"Ran-san?" Rukia couldn't believe how wide eye he was, almost innocent looking as he explain what he did to Ishida. "_How barbarian._"

"Yeah her, so I went to buy you your food, and here I am." Feeling accomplished, he smirked at her and took another mouth full of noodles. "Smart, huh?"

"Indeed, but now that you know where I am. Leave." As bluntly as she said this Rukia started to eat again without any knowledge of him.

"Leave?"

"Yes, you know… get up and go?"

Irritated he then growled at her, "Why should I leave, Rukia?"

"Because Ichigo, you can leave since you already brought me food. Which Ishida always did. Bring me food then leave." Glaring at him once she turned back to her food and ignored his glares.

"Look here, Princess." Knowing that she hated being called 'princess', he purposely used it to irritate her furthermore, "I don't care what you want but I'm telling you, I'm staying here!"

"Are you sure you are staying here because of the assignment or is it because of me?" She asked and her lips twitched up.

Ichigo then choked on the beef he was eating and felt a shameful red covering his face. "Can't I say I'm here for both?"

"Because if you were here for the first reason it will be more acceptable." Smirking at him, she opened the white book she had gotten before he entered the room and started to read. "But being here for the second reason…it is too personal, no?"

He said nothing and his silence made Rukia want to slam the book shut and hit him with it. Nevertheless she opted that thought out when he said, "I admit, I do want to get to know you better."

Frowning at his honest answer-and the hand he placed on her shoulder-she wasn't really sure how to answer that. Instead she looked away, "I see." Rukia shrugged his hand off, "But I suggest that you leave this little novelty idea of yours. It is a waste of time. I do not wish for people to get too personal with me. So please, do give it up."

The silence that had fallen between them was thick and unpleasant for the first five minutes, but it just disappeared when they both went for the only soda that he brought. Then after that, the atmosphere just let up and Rukia continued to ignore him.

Lunch went on quietly and Rukia didn't bother to look up at him at all. All he could do was stare at her. Three days he had been looking for her, and it was just hard on him to sit across of her and do nothing. As he looked at her, he saw her beauty. But then he saw pass her beauty and he saw something amazing. She was quiet, reserved, composed, and unnerved. Then when she was with people she knew well, she instantly got rid of the cold composure she would have on and replaced it with a more compassionate look. Sometimes even force.

It was as if there was two different façade of her. He sensed she was a strong person and a caring person underneath her tough veneer. There was something special about Kuchiki Rukia, something that he might never figure out. He then looked at the book in her hands and asked, "So, why did you start researching without me?"

"I work better alone than with company." She said, "Also, I am picky when it comes to evidence discovered by another. I trust my own studies more than anyone else. Why?"

"Well I don't know, I mean since the word 'partner' is what we are, and that word appears to mean nothing to you."

She looked at him and gave him a blank look, "Temper. Temper." She scolded him like a kindergartener and flicked her finger back and forth, "Also I am used of doing all the work. I wanted to get this done and over with. In the end, just write your name on it and we are done. That's all."

Shaking his head, Ichigo threw his empty container in the trash, grabbed another one, and went on eating. "You don't do teamwork, huh?"

"There is no such thing as teamwork; one person will always do more work than the other."

"And here I thought partnership meant not needing to face something on your own." Ichigo thought back to his days in the army. When he was sent to unknown territories. He remembered the cold case of fear he felt and how it was pleasant to know he had someone, a comrade, watching his back.

"I would prefer to face things on my own," Rukia wanted to shrink away and stop talking about this. Partnership, how she hated it. Every time she relied on someone, promise to protect them. She failed.

"Stubborn witch." He growled, "So did you find anything?" Ichigo was happy that he was at least having a normal conversation with her, and he still wanted to know what she had found out after being locked up in here for three days. And from her scent there must have been showers up stairs. She still smell fresh and lithe like the first day he met her.

"No, not yet. But from the look on your face, you are quite curious aren't you?" Getting up from the floor, Rukia used a quick spell and flashed all of the books back into their places. Except for the one she had in her free hand, "But what can I expect. You are a wolf and Kurosaki-san's son after all."

"Watch it. Don't compare me with that old goat!" Looking at all of the books being placed back, he gave her a questioning look. "Why are you putting all the books back?"

"I think I might have found what I, I mean _we_, needed." She lifted the book in her hand and shook it a bit in his face with a triumphed look before she began to explain to him the importance of the book. "I need to translate it first seeing as it's is written in a dead language." She flipped it open to the fifth page, "Here it says, 'A creature that has no heart, is a hollow that roams freely.' This is that we need."

"Dead language?" Rukia emptily dropped the book in his hand and walked over to her white bag. Stuffing her sketch book in it along with her discarded cell phone. Grabbing her slip-ons she placed them on her feet and tapped each of them once on the floor to secure them.

"Yes, a dead language called 'Latin', Ichigo." She still saw the lost look on his face and sigh, "Latin is a dead langue because no one naturally learns it anymore. Normally, one would learn Latin in a classroom, and Latin happens to be the language of the enlightenment. The book in your hand is quite old so I find it to be very interesting." She walked away from Ichigo without looking behind her to see if he was following her as she walked downstairs.

"But why Latin?" Ichigo fell in place with her and grinned when he saw that he could easily keep up with her short but fast strides with his much longer ones.

"Because almost every language is base off Latin." Opening the door that led to the main section of the library. They were both welcome to the semi-silence of the room, bits of whisper here and there but nothing too distracting. Rukia heard the heavy footsteps of Ichigo behind her as she led them out to the main entrance.

The cloudy December light stung her eyes and Rukia used her hands to cover them. "The reason why Latin is important is because that was when the explorers started to name everything. Including the Others who began to name our species, do you understand now?"

Noticing the slight shiver that came from Rukia, Ichigo rapidly took off his jacket and placed it on her. She gave a puzzled look and he sighed. "I'm a werewolf. I'm just plain warm and yeah, I understand so you don't have to treat me like a kid," Rukia kept her mouth shut at the obvious insult that wanted to come out from her mouth, and felt like smiling when she realized how warm his jacket was. "So can you translate it?"

She pulled the warm thick jacket closer to her body and slid her small arms inside the sleeves. She ignored the long length of it and kept walking. "Of course I can. I did learn the language when I was younger."

"How long will it take for you to translate it?"

"More than three weeks, I will need to inform the council about my discovery of the book at first. When I found it, there was a seal on it so it might be important or a forbidden book. I just need time now and their approval." Moving her eyes toward the mixed blue-gray sky, she saw snowflakes starting to fall down. "The meeting is in four days..."

A low whistle came from his mouth as he thought it over, "So you know Japanese, English, and Latin?"

"Incorrect, I know six languages." Turning a corner, she kept on walking and finally noticed that Ichigo fell in place next to her. "Why?"

"Just want to know you a bit better, that's all." That was when Rukia stopped dead in her tracks and glared at him, why it bugged her, she did not know but it did. She won't admit to herself that she was acting childish, instead she tried to look as mature she could and folded her arms in front of her. At first, Ichigo was surprise at her sudden stop. He couldn't pinpoint where he gone wrong, and thought over what he had just said but found nothing wrong. "What?"

"Just want to get to know you better." She quoted him calmly and still saw the baffled look on his face like a child that had just been scolded without knowing why. "I do not want you to get to know me better, Kurosaki." Being stupid and childish was something she was not use to. Yet she wanted to be carefully with him at the same time. She noticed that he could easily get under her skin. She noticed that having him next to her made her stomach queasy. She noticed that she didn't mind his company no matter how hard she tried to deny it.

"Oh, so it's Kurosaki again is it, Rukia?" He was soon replaced with annoyance. "So why can't I get to know you better?"

"Well, mostly because I do not want you to know me better. And being my partner may mean something to you, but it does not mean a bloody thing for me. Being my partner does not give you the right." Rukia walked closer to him. Deliberately, she made her words colder. Hoping it would drive him away. But instead he stood still and looked at her in the eyes, unmoved by her words.

It took her back slightly since no one, except her father, dare to challenge her. His firm amber eyes glowered at her as she went on, "I do not want to get to know you better. I do not want to get close to you on a personal level. So let us just leave it at that, shall we?" In truth, she said those things because she feared that she might get close to him, closer than she would like. She didn't want to care for someone more, she always had a hard time of letting go.

Ichigo let Rukia grab the book from his grasp but he didn't let her pass him. He slammed his hand to the portion of wall she was about to cross. Then boxed her against the wall with his body. Her "ice queen" façade didn't move an inch as he got closer to her. "Look here Princess," He sneered at her and got closer to her, "I don't care what you say but I work better with someone that I know on a personal level."

"Well I work better alone and if I do have a partner then I don't want them to grow close to me. Nymphs are different from wolves, we are a dying race, you Twit. I do not do the whole stick-together-in-a-pack-thing."

Ichigo didn't know if he should be impressed that this small woman could have such a big bite or should he be cursing at God for getting him a mate that was hard to handle. But hey, he always did enjoy a challenge. "Then what do you want, Princess? You want to go on and never meet new people? Is that it?"

"Yes. Now was that too hard to understand, Kurosaki?"

The "Kurosakis" were killing him. He wanted to grow closer to her, and the way she kept him at a distance he knew they were far from becoming a real mate like he wanted to be, "Ichigo, I want you to call me Ichigo."

"No."

With a roar, he slammed his other hand next to her head, wanting to get some sort of emotions into her eyes or face. Dealing with her was like dealing with a foggy road, unclear and unfocused. He couldn't see anything beyond the exterior. "Why the hell do you want to make this so god damn difficult?"

"Because it won't be any fun if it was easy now, would it?" The whispering, teasing words entered his mind and with a growl, he tore himself away from her. The sweet temptation of her plump red lips and alluring voice was too much for him to handle at such a close distance. If he didn't move he would have probable done something he might not regret but instead kill his chances with her. Then, like a child he took the book out of her hands for a unneeded revenge, if she was going to torture him he was going to be brat to her.

"Stop acting like a child and give me back my book." Rukia felt her eyebrow twitch. She was right however. Having the orange hair wolf with her will only distract her from her work. All she wanted to do was to go back to her hotel room and translate her book, plain and simple, no? When he was close to her, she felt something stir awake inside of her. It was warm and deep down inside of her. Even realizing that she didn't mind having him in such close a close distance.

"Not until you call me from my first name." Ichigo decided that since she was being stubborn, he was going to be as stubborn as she, or even more. His voice was demanding but unlike hers, his was full of deep Lupine authority.

Gritting her teeth, Rukia did the only things that came into her mind. She kicked his shin then kneed him in the stomach. With a smirk, she happily took the antique book from him and started to walk away. For once, she felt please that her father signed her up for self-defense classes when she was younger. She knew one day those classes will become helpful in the future, even if it was a bit embarrassing to admit it to her too proud and too traditional relatives. "I hope you know you deserved that."

Ichigo held onto his stomach for a moment and felt a fierce excitement fill him, an excitement that never left him as he ungainly caught up to her as he nursed his stomach. "You like to fight don't you?"

"Actually, no. I dislike fighting, along with pointless arguments and other things of the sort." About to open his mouth she silenced him with a rare grin. "But, I sure in hell like to win."

It took him back when she said that. In the back of his mind he ginned when he realized that he learned something about her, without her even knowing it. "_She likes to win._" He grinned, "_Hell, so do I_."

They walked in silence, just like when they were in the library. There was no awkwardness between them. Their short banter was gone with the wind and unimportant now. Holding the book loosely in her arms Rukia eyes landed all over the city in interest, happily in blind oblivious to the wolf next to her who was giving her the same look.

Ichigo felt shy and excited at the same time when he thought about her and him, and about the mated Lupines in his pack. He pondered over the feelings that ever mated Lupine had told him in the past. They told him that when finding your mate, you never actually questioned it. Told him that he would never consider if their relationship was wrong since it will always be right. A strong bond would be formed between the two of them. Undying love that won't disappear even after death.

He remembered his father once telling him that Lupine love is the strongest and purest love of all love. Lupine who are mated will always be mated to that one person. Lupines mate for life and for the afterlife. Lupine are destine to be together for every life that they live.

The cold December air brushed past both of them, making a light spray of goose bumps appear on Ichigo's skin. Then, when he looked over at Rukia and saw that she didn't really mind the cold because she only buried herself deeper inside his jacket. His male Lupine instinct flared and took pride for the reason that he could take care of his mate. Having Rukia in his clothing really brought a satisfying smile on his face.

The more they walked and the more familiar the scenery got. Ichigo realized that they were heading towards the _Supra Natura_, and felt a dreaded feeling that she would want to start working on the translation of the book now. "You're going to start translating it now?"

She tilted her head to his direction and raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course I'm going to start now. We need the information in this book as soon as possible...why do you ask?"

Turning his face away, he hoped that she won't see his faint blush, "I just wanted to-" A screeching scream cut him off from behind, and Rukia was the first to move while Ichigo cursed and ran after her. They both saw blurs of trees, people, and stores on each of their sides. Rukia could barely keep up to Ichigo as they ran, then another screech entered their ears when they arrived to Karakura Outlet. "Holy shit…"

In front of them was a very large, very black, very fiery-eyed, and very not-nice-looking creature with a white mask painted with a twisted mouth and holes for eyes. Ichigo's eyes moved back and forth from her and the monster before he asked, "What the fuck is that?"

She turned her impassive gaze to Ichigo and gave an insensitive smile, "That, my dear wolfie, is a hollow."

Rukia repeatedly called herself stupid, dim-witted, and brainless. How could she have not noticed this hollow being form? She was trained to sense these creatures even before they were constructing themselves onto the mortal land. A blinding headache was supposed to warn her, along with an unbearably stomachache and sometimes even nose bleeds. Those were the signs that her mentors in the past had train her to do to warn her of hollows. "_But why did that not happen this time?_" The only reason she could probable think of was that she couldn't sense its reiatsu. But the only person she was around with was…"Ichigo." He turned to her quickly and tensely. She stared at him, eyes bored into him, onto him and she realized his reiatsu was so, "_High_."

Heat rolled off the hollow's body, its yellow eyes swiftly moved to stare at them. It looked once at Ichigo then at Rukia. Its mouth twitched up in an evil grin as it decided to pursue the small black haired nymph. Men and women alike screamed in terror while children cried as it stepped forward.

To Rukia's surprise and displeasure, Ichigo moved in front of her. Protecting her as the hollow came closer. He let out a warning growl at the hollow, daring it to take another step closer to them.

It took another step forward, paying no attention to the growls and snarls of the orange-haired wolf. It only cared about the woman he was protecting. People still left and there was even a car crash near them. A fire started to the west of them, adding in to the destruction that the hollow was creating while it still moved closer to them. "Rukia, get behind me now!"

"Why should-"

"I can't change with so many damn people here. I can't protect you this way!" His voice was strain but still firm and determined. With an intensity of a werewolf that he was, Ichigo pushed Rukia behind him. His hands were form in tight fist across her body. As he thought over their situation, he came to the conclusion that he couldn't win. He already knew that from the start, it was a fact. He had never been too dumb enough to fight a battle he couldn't win-which was rare for him since the only man he couldn't beat was his father. However, with that hollow wanting to get its claws on his Rukia, Ichigo only decided the hollow thought it will get five feet close to her then it was dead wrong.

Rukia, on the other hand, grew irritated with the way he was standing in front of her. It was so…protective. As if she was so weak that she could not even defend herself from a damn bumble bee. She didn't want this protection, she never asked for it. She didn't deserve it. He was risking his life for her, and she didn't get that. Why would he? She was not worth it. She never been worth it. She had no right to be worth something that had to be protected.

The blood on her hands can never be washed away no matter how hard she tried. The screams she had caused still lingered in her. Yet he stood in front of her, protecting her when she couldn't protect the people she cared deeply about. He didn't know her, and he have a family that was worth saving. Not her, never her.

From where she stood, behind his large body. Broad and wide. She wondered was he doing this because he felt the need to be a hero or because he really cared about her. Rukia then wondered why she was over-thinking this. "_Don't be so full of yourself, Rukia. He would do this for anyone else._"

With an aggravated sigh, Rukia placed a hand on the wolf's forearm, the contact of her hand on him made him jump in surprise and turn his face a bit to her. That was when she noticed that he was tense, really tense. "_Too tense_," her mind scolded. "Move aside, Ichigo." He let out an angry yelp when she forcibly shoved him away from his place in front of her.

She then ignored Ichigo's yells of objection for her actions, and moved closer to the hollow's black form with a somewhat panicked Ichigo trying to stop her. Then, she threw her right hand behind her, not even bothering to face him as she trapped him in another spell of hers.

"Rukia!" The roar of alarm and horror ran through him. The thoughts of what might happen if he was not there to protect her gushed out of his lips. "Get back here now!" He felt terrified, even useless. He never thought with every step she took to the hollow his need to protect her would intensify. He struggled against the spell binding. If he could rip himself out of two layers of rope in the middle of the dessert, he could force himself free from her petty bindings during this weak winter day.

She looked behind her once to see his trapped body before she moved forward. Confidently, her left hand enclosed over her right, and created a magical force of pressure before she chanted a small unique spell. Then with a slit eyes she said, "Release…" from the palm of her hand a short beam of light was form. A slender brown stick appeared in her hands. Then, from her chest, right over her heart, there was a glowing orb. "Freeze." With that simple word that fell from her lips, the whole world around them…froze. Layers of gleaming frost covered the normal layers of snow everywhere: on the floors, cars, stores, and even the people that were running away. The only thing moving was the beast, her, and the panting livid wolf behind her.

"Quite an impressive power you have there, little lady!" The hollow's voice finally boomed in a taunt as it laughed his head off. "But it's not enough to defeat me!" It charged at her in delight madness.

The floor trembled beneath her feet and Ichigo's body. "Rukia!" He shouted. His heart appeared like it was going to explode. Gritting his teeth, Ichigo did the only thing he can wanted to do since the beginning. He transformed.

A thin sheet of radiant crystals left her lips, the glowing light that was over her heart disappeared, and Rukia was about to put herself in a standing position, preparing to defend herself. When she was, once again, pushed back by a free Ichigo. Her balance was momentarily lost and she had to grab onto Ichigo's arm.

Under her glove hand she felt hair. Her eyes shifted up and she couldn't help but let her mouth open slightly. Ichigo was his werewolf form. He was growling deeply at the hollow. His muscles were huge and massive but still somehow sleek compared to the hollow's. Ichigo's muscular form rippled with power that looked right and natural under his thick, healthy pelt of black fur.

Rukia couldn't see Ichigo's face but she saw the hollow was still advancing. The stench of the hollow finally overcame her. It smelt like coal and decaying burnt flesh. A feral growl from Ichigo shook her body and her senses. The two powerful figures eyed each other, neither one made a move. It was almost like a game of chicken. Then the hollow's eyes shifted to her again and the warning growl from Ichigo became a vicious snarl.

As fast as the battle started the first attack was a blur in her eyes. An immediate clash of black, dull scale against thick fur was in front of her. Both he and the hollow shook in fury, twisting and roaring in primitive rage. Hoofs and claws dug into the cement of the floor. Claws slashed across scales and fur. Fangs glinted in danger and muscles bulged and shifted heatedly. Rukia's cautiously followed their forms. It looked as if Ichigo could only temporarily hold his ground against the impossible powerful hollow. But sooner or later, he was going to crack. She noticed that this hollow was different. There was something darker behind it, as if it was being control by something or someone.

A normal wolf like Ichigo could not go against a hollow and expect to win. The only werewolves that have won against a hollow had their claws blessed. However, Ichigo himself had not gotten anything at all blessed and from what she knew he had no power either. He wasn't going to win and he might lose his life. She didn't know why, but the thought scared her more than it should. Something inside her tugged at her heart. With an annoyed frown she shook her head. She will not have more blood spilled on her hands because he told her to "keep away."

Rukia summoned up a clock made of ice from her hand and cruse. She only had six or so minutes left before the time stream would start up and the humans could move and see this five hundred plus pound of werewolf fighting against this demon.

The hollow lowered its massive head and rammed itself into his gut. Rukia heard a loud grunt escaping Ichigo and with his might his claws raked the scales on the hollow as he was thrown to the other side of the outlet. She winced in sympathy for him when she heard the dull thud of his landing but she had no time to wonder how badly he was hurt since the hollow turned to her.

It had forgotten about Ichigo even when Ichigo was giving loud warning howl. It smiled at her and moved quickly towards her with no meaning of stopping. It felt the impressing mouth-watering magic on her. Not believing how pure and strong she was. There was a power inside of her that made him crazy. "I'm going to eat all the damn magic off of you before I'll eat you!"

From the corner of her eye Rukia saw Ichigo getting back up quickly, "Damn Wolf…" Getting into fighting position, she waited for the hollow to get closer to her. A claw crashed down but with a flick of her ankle she dodged it by jumping a foot away and flashed her wand at it. With a short spell she shot a red fire ball at its mask, and heard the nuisance noise the hollow made as the magic she sent went through its mask.

She then jumped back to avoid the trashing and demolishing of the hollow's final moments. Swiftly a speck of light appear, then another before it disappeared in a flash. She lowered her wand and gripped it as it formed and meld back into her palm.

Rukia then ran to the fallen werewolf and fell onto her knees next to him. "Ichigo, you twit, didn't you pay any attention at the meeting when I said the only way to defeat a hollow was with a weapon that is bless by the Seraphim?!" Sighing disapprovingly she couldn't help but still be worry over his injure. Gently she grabbed his hairy face into her palms.

Unintentionally, she petted his head and scratched the back of his ear as she studied his form. Even though he didn't want to show it, he was pretty damn happy at the attention she was giving him and tried to stop his tail for wagging. "Damn Idiot you're hurt…wish you could talk." The blood that was flowing out of him was covering the snow on the ground. Rukia shook her head at the sight and when she glanced back down at him she saw that he was glaring at her intensely. "What?"

A gasp left her when Ichigo body once again shifted and rippled in front of her. His pelt of black fur went away and only left his orange hair. Bones that he had broken during the fight melted back into place, and he mentally hissed at the pricked of pain. Open wounds closed and heal in the blink of an eye. Sitting up in all his glory, he only had his half ripped pants clinging on his lower half of his body. Finally, he glared at Rukia again properly. "What?" He repeated like she did to him earlier, "What? You could have gotten hurt, dumbass!"

"Hurt? If I remembered correctly, you are the one who is hurt and I do not even have one hair out of place." She rebutted and got up.

Standing up as well he glared holes on the back of her head as she walked away, "Get back here, now!"

"No, and put on some damn clothing, you pedophile." Grabbing the nearest and newest male shirt from the store, not caring that he was stealing, he went up to her and took her into his arms. One arm under her knees, the other cradling her back. "What the hell are you doing, Ichigo?" She hissed, and he leaned down and took a hold of Rukia's discarded bag. Time, nonetheless, was still frozen as he made a run out of the outlet and to the direction of the hotel.

"Nothing to worry your pretty, little head about Rukia. Anyways, we can't be seen and the council will want to know what happened so they can do damage control. Also I'm not a damn pedophile. You're 18 and I'm only 24. I'm only seven years older." He wildly answered her and with a huff, she laced her arms around his neck since the way he was moving, she could easily fall off.

"I still consider you too old for me," She muttered, "And you still have not thanked me for saving your sorry-ass." Even if she couldn't see it, Ichigo wore a nasty scowl on his face. She-not deliberately-wounded his male pride for the fact that he couldn't protect his mate. It stung him deeply, and he felt futile. His mate could have die and all he could have done was watch. But the more he thought about it, he came up with the conclusion that he would prefer to have his pride injured than to have her injured.

"Che, how long until the spell will wear off?"

Sensing he was annoyed and she having no idea what was eating him, she decided to leave him alone…for now. "How much time do you need?"

"Two minutes." He roughly answered her.

"You got three…"

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_**A/N: I'm very sorry if there is any-probable a lot-of grammar and spelling mistakes than normal. One of my betas had to stop being my beta for personal reason. So now I need to look for another one, and I think I have one in mind.**_

_**Reviews are much appreciated since I'm very not confident with this chapter. Also do not hesitate to ask me any questions if you're confusion or curious. I will of course try to answer the best way I can without giving spoilers. ^^**_

_**Thank you and see you next month. **_


	5. Chapter 4

_**A/N: So…I gotten two beta-ers once again. I hope, I still need to ask Lovemydogs82 if she wants to become a permanent beta-er for me. But, beside that. I do hope you all will enjoy this chapter, and I would want to dedicate this to Lovemydogs82. **_

_**Thank you for all your help lovemydogs82, and Senna23. **_

_**Now, for less of my rambling, I present you my latest chapter. **_

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_**Chapter 4**_

_**A Pure Heart**_

What is a pure heart? Is it present in someone that doesn't have dark thoughts or dark feelings? Is it present in someone that can smile even when they are falling apart inside? I have heard, many times, of these people who are pure of heart. It is said that there is a gentle aura surrounding such people...That with only the power of love and a gleaming smile, they can conquer all.

I don't buy that.

If there is a pure hearted person in this world… then this person can't help me. Not even the purest of heart can help me, since there is no such thing. We all have darkness inside of us, and this is no fairytale.

There will not be a powerful, kind, soft spoken princess or a handsome, polite, and gentle prince that will save the universe and say "I do" at the end when they wed.

This is merely the fantasy of a little girl who has been sheltered her entire life. For if there is such a thing as a "pure hearted" person, would he or she be smiling all the time? Would they be happy all the time? Would they never have one shred of gloom in them?

No.

What I believe is that any person-human or otherwise-can be pure after they face the reality of life. After they face the hardship life gives–both sorrow and joy.

After they feel desperation their souls loathe. After they feel the unity their souls crave. And at the end, if they can still love their loved ones, then they are a pure hearted person.

This is what I believe a pure hearted person to be.

~*~*~*~

Her eyes fluttered open and blinked out the heavy trail of sleep she had in them. At first, when she tried to look around her, she saw nothing-nothing but shades of black and gray. Blurry figures slowly became visible to her followed by her surroundings.

She was lost and unsure of what was going on. One moment she was running the streets of her mother's small village with her mother only a few steps behind her. Now, she was in a room. Pitch black. Quiet. Alone. Cold, so very cold.

However, as she strained to hear, she heard whispers all around her. What they murmured to her were cruel words that made her want to cry. The words were mocking her. They were spiteful, and heartless. But she held back her tears.

Her father taught her that tears would bring her to nothing. He told her that she had to be stronger for she was the daughter of a powerful wizard. She noticed the words that were being whispered to her would brush the shell of her ear and it sent shocks of fear through her small body. "Mama," she called out timidly, her voice dry and low. As her innocent eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw that there were shadows twirling and dancing about the room.

She began to get nervous. The little girl bit her lip as she tried to wrap her arms around her legs. However, the child was denied that small comfort because she was tied up. She remembered that her father once told her that if she was tied up, she should be patient and polite no matter what. She shouldn't panic because he was going to save her...that he, her father, was a powerful hero that would always protect her.

She kept repeating to herself, "Papa will save me," yet her bottom lip quivered and her small body shook with the need to cry. From the darkness, she could discern the outline of chairs, vases, a table and a cloth. All ruined and decayed from years of use. She saw no windows, but behind her was a door. Like many of the doors in Spain, it was old and wooden.

She waited and waited-Not completely sure if minutes, hours, or days had passed. Her bottom hurt and her tummy grumbled, but nothing more and nothing less. It was then that she heard a creak in the floor board. She heard a cry and looked behind her once again.

The door swung opened to reveal a man followed by a small person. The man called out behind him but was told to be a lookout on the other side of the door. Light streamed in when the door opened, so she had to shut her eyes from the pain. Her eyes watered, her nose twitched and she sneezed.

Then, she heard a familiar voice cry her name. As the child looked hopefully before her, there she saw her dear, sweet mother...bleeding from her head. Kind eyes that seemed to have shed many tears seemed tired but happy when they met her daughter's big eyes. "_Mi hija_," her mother said wistfully as the older woman fell onto her knees. Her mother's hands, thin and cold, went out to touch and cup her child's chubby cheek, and a smile formed on the older woman's face. Fading purple irises softened as even more tears streamed out of her worn out eyes. "You're okay," her mother told her in Spanish.

She wanted to say something to her dear mother who usually never cried, but one of the men that also came in interrupted her. He said something she could almost understand, but his voice was too soft to hear. She couldn't catch the tone of his voice, how deep his voice was, or how eloquent he might have spoken.

As the man pulled out a gun, she looked up from her mother's face to the man's. The little girl's stomach dropped when she saw that he had no face. His head was covered by the shadows in the room that roamed freely in the darkness. She wondered why her mother wouldn't get up from the floor and run out the doo-It was wide open. The light felt warm so she suspected it was from the sun. Her mother could have run outside and called for help, for her father or even for a police officer.

"Kill me if you want, but don't you dare even hurt her!" her mother's voice rang out in rage; behind the tears that fell from her eyes were molten layers of wrath that she had never seen in her mother's eyes before. "If you do, I swear I'll come back from my grave and kill you!"

The sound of her mother's voice scared her, but at the same time felt she couldn't cry in terror since it was her mother behind that façade-her sweet mother who had always smelled like vanilla. The man said something else because her mother's face relaxed slightly but there was still fear in them.

The man bent down and untied the ropes around her arms, and her mother asked what he was up to. The little girl was suddenly thrust in between the two arguing adults, and she watched as her mother tried to get up. She felt large hands on her own, and then felt heavy metal being placed in the palms of her hands.

The man must have said something else because her mother's eyes widen, "Look at me, _mi hija_." Her mother then called out. "Look at me, do not be afraid. I am here to protect you." As she said that, her mother's eyes watered again, and there was a smile on her face. In the midst of her tears she said, "Do you see that trigger? I want you to pull it."

The words that came from her mother's mouth shocked her, and she shook her head. She was forced by the man to hold the gun and point it at her mother. She knew what would happen if she pulled the trigger as her mother requested. Her mother then pleaded with her to pull the trigger. The man in the room was getting irritated and barked something out. There was a high pitched ringing in her ears, but still she heard her mother's voice.

"Pull the trigger! You have to!" Her mother screamed. "If you don't pull the trigger, I'll hate you forever, Rukia!"

~*~*~*~

The birds that were singing from the outside were unanswered from the inside. The morning sunlight that streamed into the room and landed upon an empty bed did not prompt anyone to awaken. Light breezes from the gentle December morning caressed no one's face in greeting. The sheets that were supposed to cover a warm body were vacant and the outline of a sleeping body was slowly fading away. The air in the bedroom was calm, undisturbed. Almost like no one was there except for a ghost that left no trace of its existence behind.

However, outside of the bedroom, on the other side of the suite, there was a distinct sign of life. Where the birds' singing became tender, where morning sunlight faded away in sympathy and the breezes gave out a soothing sweep of compassion. There was crumpled heap of towels on the floor, the repetitive sound of water as it hits the ground, and the silhouette of a missing girl was found in the corner.

Her petite body was folded up gently, making her look smaller than usual. Blue sapphire eyes were voids against the light of the morning. Her legs were pulled snugly against her chest with small arms wrapped tightly around them. Her forehead rested on top of her knees and her short lavender night gown was plastered flush against her body, along with her long black strands of hair.

Even as her body stayed still and remained calm, her insides were becoming wild. Her head spun rapidly, and her gut clenched over and over. Not even closing her eyes could relieve the queasiness in her belly. She had that dream again. It was not the first time it had happened but how she wished it would be the last dream she would ever dream.

She did not want to be reminded of her failure, of her cowardly façade. How she couldn't protect that one person who gave up everything so she would be able to live. It scared her. She could admit that. The feeling that coursed through her was different. Unfamiliar. Even after feeling them so many times, they were still foreign. She didn't know how to express them, how to bring them into light.

Her body was still not used to the motion of scrambling to the bathroom for an ice freezing shower after hours of sleep, even after eleven years. No. She will never get use to it. Normally, after one of her blood-soaked dreams where she had caused so much pain, she would scorch herself in a hot shower. She would prefer to have those raging hot bullets of rain pelt her since at least after a burning wash down, she would feel as clean as she could get.

As she hugged herself closer, Rukia remembered the first person she wanted to call out for when she woke up. Kurosaki Ichigo. She wanted him to come to her aid, to comfort her as she struggled to maintain her composure. Then, she was shocked at that thought because she barely knew him. She only met him a few days ago, and yet she wanted him to wrap his arms around her. With him, she felt warm and content. She felt safe and at the same time, brave.

Those feelings she discovered…were unreal and unpractical.

The cold water numbed her when she felt she was losing control of her life, of herself. She didn't want to depend on anyone when she felt she was breaking down, or when everything she carried on her small shoulders finally crumbled. She didn't want others to see her as a weakling and she certainly didn't want to feel like one.

Hugging herself tighter, she watched the water swirl away down the drain. The thuds and stabs of water that were hitting her back slowly diminished until, finally, she couldn't feel them anymore. She was numb-once again she was numb and she couldn't feel a thing.

"_This is how it should be."_

Outside the window, birds sang their loving songs to the isolated girl in the corner of the bathroom as the sunlight tried to bring warmth to her cold stricken body and the breeze welcomed her into its warmhearted embrace. The small woman shrugged off the birds' melodies, ignored the light's warmth, and she shunned the tender embrace of the air.

All she wanted and needed "Is to be alone…"

_Five hours later:_

The tapping of her pencil against the polished surface of the wooden table was the only noise to assail Rukia. It had been two days since she met with the Council of Others. Rukia and Ichigo were surprised at how fast they were attacked and questioned about what exactly had happened. Rukia explained everything to the eldest dragon, but more importantly, she justified their need to be prepared for anything and everything.

The representatives of the Others began arguing, some saying they should prepare for the war while others said they should wait. Rukia spent close to five hours in that meeting, discussing what should or should not be done. She mentioned the book briefly, saying that she would take care of it herself. Yamamoto gave her two weeks to translate the ancient text, which she agreed to and set to work on right away.

It had been two days since she last saw Ichigo.

After the Outlet incident, Ichigo flew into a rage telling her that what she did was idiotic and plain foolish. He went on and on about how she wasn't supposed to do that. How she wasn't supposed to fight something that was twenty times her size. It took thirty minutes before he realized she had said nothing and was staring at him impassively. Once Rukia saw he wasn't screaming at her anymore and she had gotten his attention, she calmly spoke to him as if she were discussing what type of paint to buy for the kitchen's walls.

She flatly told him that she didn't need his protection and that he needed to get off her back since he had no right to lecture her on anything as they were nothing more than partners. This, of course, caused him to go into another long speech which she only listened to five percent of before leaving him standing in the hallway.

Many times he had tried to contact her: knocking on her door, calling her phone, and even sending Ishida to talk to her, and every time, she would ignore him. She was Kuchiki Rukia, and as a Kuchiki she didn't need to be scolded by someone she barely knew. And as a Kuchiki, she didn't need anyone at all. Being isolated was something she grew up with, and was a second nature to her. After her mother's death, her father left her in the care of her many nannies. Her mother's parents were dead and her father's parents shunned her which left the young woman completely and utterly alone.

She had learned to live life alone, so she found it awkward that Ichigo wanted to spend so much time with her. She wondered if he wasn't busy with work or with Others' business.

So, here she was scribbling down information that she thought might be useful. Information that could help the Council of Others find the offenders that were about to declare war of them. Only the loud rumbling of her hungry stomach could interrupt her silent reverie.

She was shocked at the sound and looked at the clock; she noticed it was close to one in the afternoon and that she had skipped breakfast. However, there was no way she was going to skip lunch again. Rukia grabbed her bag and packed it with her everyday items, including the ancient white book, and her brown notebook. Setting the semi-heavy messenger bag on her shoulder, Rukia took her rarely used cell phone and glanced around one more time before she took her leave.

Walking down the hall was different than usual. The only noises she could hear were the soft tinkling of her necklace and the clicking of her small boots hitting the floor. Lazily, she left her hair down, and only wore a t-shirt and pants. It wasn't like she was leaving the comfort of the warm hotel, heavens no. She remembered Isshin telling her about a small indoor café where she could eat anything for free since it was "on the house." Unwillingly she agreed, mostly since she didn't want to be rude towards her kind host.

Rangiku and Momo forced Ishida to take them to all the tour sites of Japan; they asked–and on Momo's side, begged–for her to accompany them on their small road trip, since the next Others meeting was still five days away. But seeing all the work she had to do and wanted to do, Rukia regrettably declined their offer.

Leaning back against the elevator walls, the doors closed slowly and the elevator music filled the room. She was bored with staying in her hotel room, bored with reading, bored with talking to herself, bored with translating, and bored with studying for her upcoming wizard test.

Just plain bored.

Nevertheless, she still loved doing these "boring" things. Loves to learn, loves to read, she loves to study, and she loves to be useful. The reason she was bored, was because she was "alone." From the day she came to Japan, not counting those days in the library, she was constantly distracted by Rangiku, Momo, and Isshin. Impulsively she tapped her feet against the floor, waiting for the incredibly slow elevator's door to open.

The annoying dings of every floor started to aggravate her to no end. Lowering her eyes to her tapping foot, she ironically remembered Ichigo. She was still angry with the fact that he thought so little of her abilities that she couldn't defend herself from a normal, class seven hollow. Sure, she was amazed when he changed form, but what do you expect? It was not like every day she would see a werewolf in his half human, half wolf form.

A hollow, it was quite too soon for a hollow to attack in Japan. The Council of Others in America predicted an attack but in three months, which was the only reason her father allowed her to come in his place instead. If he heard of this incident, knowing him, he would demand that she come back home. But she wouldn't, she had too much responsibility given to her by Yamamoto.

"A class seven Hollow…" The words tasted sour in her mouth-it was a class seven hollow. During the attack on Washington last month, men and women fell from the sky with wounds and fatal injuries. The battle was fresh in her mind. So fresh. The blood spilled on that day made her insides burn in protest, the screams she had heard were still raw in her ears and the sight she witnessed as hollows ripped apart Others and humans alike…she could still see it behind her closed lids. They had defeated the hollows and one Espada but they had lost sixty-eight Others and two dozen humans that day.

The final, louder than the other, ding caught her attention, she moved the bitter thoughts away and pushed herself harshly from the wall. Rukia noticed she was dragging her feet and slouching. With a gulp of air, she automatically fixed her posture, made sure her shoulders were squared back and her steps were light and firm as she walked. When she was younger, Rukia had an etiquette teacher, Miss Reach, who used to place a thick strip of duck trap on the back to the neck straight down to where it laid on her lower back.

Whenever she slouched, the tape would pull at her tender skin and Rukia had shed many tears because of those lessons. When the day came for Miss Reach to be laid off, Rukia was ever so happy. However, as Miss Reach was about to leave, she said something to her that stuck to her to this very day. "You are a Kuchiki, Miss Rukia, and as a Kuchiki you must not embarrass your family and bring shame upon them. For the Lord in heaven be merciful on your lively soul if you do." No matter what, she was a Kuchiki. She realized that the day she left, and could never shake it from her head.

Stepping into the lobby of Isshin's hotel was like stepping into life itself; groups of travelers, Others or not, seemed to enjoy their time here. The atmosphere was soft, and energetic. Employees wear happy smiles on their faces. Bright holiday lights danced around. Her eyes roamed the crowd in unusual interest, taking in the different faces here and there and reading many signs as she could.

The sounds of her stomach groaning in frustration caught her attention again. With a sigh she walked towards the modern indoor café that was on the other side of the hotel. Effortlessly, she pushed the door open; the cream-colored curtains, dark chocolate sofas, and metal tables that were spread across the café's floor came into her view. She was led to a table for two by a waiter and was asked what she wanted. A quick glance from the menu, she merely asked for a normal turkey sandwich and a bottle of water. The waiter nodded politely–stopping his eyes from wandering over her body–and excused himself before walking away. Squashing the sense of disgust crawling through her veins, Rukia pulled out her notebook and the stolen library book she had taken. She made a mental note to herself that she should at least inform the librarian at that she took the book without permission.

As she looked at her books and felt the stares of other customers, she wondered if it was bad for her to work while eating. Just because she was going to eat lunch didn't mean she couldn't work. Flipping to the last page she was on, Rukia continued where she left off. Jotting down some details here and there, rewriting some sentences, and adding arrows or questions marks next to the ones that she found interesting. Not even her begging stomach could stop her now when she was so entranced with the dead language.

Her nose picked up the sweet and pleasant smell of her sandwich, yet she paid no attention to it. She didn't even realize it was in front of her until the waiter came back and asked if something was wrong with her meal. Page after page she had notes written down, and without noticing the time she could have stayed there all night if it wasn't for a strangely familiar voice.

"Ah, Signorina Kuchiki, is it not?" The sound of her surname being pronounced in an Italian accent broke through her mind set. She should really stop losing herself in her thoughts, it was becoming a habit. Calmly she moved her head up and acknowledged the warm brown eyes, a friendly smile, and a head full of shaggy hair.

"Ah…" Racking her mind for a name, she smiled at the man, "Signore Aizen from Italy, no?"

Her hand left the table to shake the amiable man's hand as a counterfeit smile played on her lips. The moment her hand met his, something akin to lightening shocks ran though her body, alarming her. She forced herself to remain calm and nimbly removed her fingers from his. "Yes, it is. So glad you remember me." He looked at the chair, then the objects she had spread on the table, then at her. "May I sit down?" Getting the idea, Rukia reluctantly cleared close to everything on the table except her food.

"You can order something if you like, Signore Aizen." Rukia kept her face cool and collected. The discomfort in her gut was pushed away entirely. The man in front of her had a peculiar twinkle in his eyes and a smirk on his face before he covered with a normal smile.

"I'm quite fine, Signorina Kuchiki, just wanting to discuss some… details with you. That's all."

The fatherly aura around him was strong, Rukia mind speed through thought after thought of what kind of 'details' he would like to know. "And what details are those, Signore Aizen?"

Shrugging off a chill, she looked straight into the amiable man's eyes. "Just small ones, that is all." He attempted to give her a reassuring smile, "The white book you took from the library; do you actually think it will help us?"

"The _Pectus Pectoris Est Absentis _is the name of the book, and yes, I do believe it can provide some very useful information." Finally she grabbed her, now warm, bottle of water and drank from it slowly. Just being this near to him seemed to cause her throat to close as if her body was having a nervous reaction, "Anything else?"

"Yes, the hollow that attacked both you and Signore Kurosaki, what do you think of it?"

"I think it was unusual, I wasn't expecting an attack so soon."

His brown hair moved as he nodded in understanding, "I see…what about you, Signorina Kuchiki? Do you view yourself as a strong soldier?"

"Yes I do actually." The tone of her voice – deadly, refined and cold – must have reached him. His smile faded a bit before rebounding completely. Behind his glasses, Rukia saw that he was either debating on what to do, or calling himself an idiot for asking a question too personal. All in all, he shook his head again. Shaggy brown covered his eyes and he looked at her once more.

"Sorry if that was a bit personal, but I just wanted to know if you are reliable."

Staring at him with unyielding eyes, she studied him carefully, "Am I trustworthy in battle? This is something you should not question. I, as a Kuchiki, have much pride. I dislike having my actions questioned." Standing up gracefully, head tilted upwards a bit; she gave him an icy smile. "Next time if you have a question, Signore Aizen, you will ask it at the meeting."

Rukia threw her food away in the trash and started to walk out. "Please do not be offended, Signorina Kuchiki, I meant no harm." He brought his hand towards her, waiting for her to take it. Without looking at his hand, she firmly gripped it with her uncovered hand.

Did her heart just stop?

She heard nothing. The color from her face must have faded. His skin touching hers, she heard nothing at all. Why can't she read his mind? The shock created a hollow feeling in her-a feeling of pure fear. "_Who is he?_" Snatching her hand back she looked forward, "Of course you didn't, but you _have_ given me doubts as to your loyalty to the _Others_.." She walked away confidently and left the man sitting at her table as she neatly placed her glove back on. She did not see the angry glint in his eyes nor hear the small promising growl from his lips.

The Italian representative stood up from his chair, hiding his brown eyes that were consumed with outrage and humiliation. How could he, the master of illusion, be outsmarted by a woman, and especially a young one? Not caring if others watched him, he slammed the café's door open and walked out of the hotel. His steps were angry and selfish. If only he played it more cautiously with her. If he didn't assume that she was just an inexperienced brat. His instincts were right; when he first saw her at the meeting with that damn book in her hands, he knew she was going to be a nuisance. Maybe if he had played it more carefully in the café, maybe he could have gotten information out of her.

The man coldly considered the young woman and how much of a threat she posed. At this moment, Kuchiki Rukia was a threat. Not because she had the book but because she had seen past his façade-Not even his own mother could look pass his mask.

"How'd it go?" A slithering voice from a black Bentley oozed out. Silver hair gleamed, eyes slit like a snake's, and a grin that could only be described as evil appeared as the black tinted window went down.

"Bad, Gin, she saw through me." Getting into the car he made sure to avoid his partner's eyes. He would not let anyone see him in such a disgraceful and shameful form. "She's a smart one, that Signorina Kuchiki Rukia."

The silver hair man smiled, and placed the car into drive. The simple fact that she saw through Aizen surprised him, and he was not sure if he should be worried or be impressed. Pulling the car away from the curb, he listened to the sounds of the engine. He remembered seeing the young lady in the meeting place. She was covering for her dearest father who was probably going to the hospital for check-ups because of his illness.

He remembered how poised and confident the little thing was. Oh, and how the swirling delight of causing her pain melted in him. To break those features of her drove him. He wanted to break her, to make her face fall, to bring her hope up only to crush it, and he will-he promised to himself. Looking at his partner, Gin came to a conclusion. She was not a threat, but instead she was a very, very interesting person.

~*~*~*~

"I forgot to eat." Rukia sat at the desk that was provided for her and sulked as her bottom connected to it; she was still hungry. She laid her head on the table and sighed as her stomach roar in protest. Her mind was so occupied with what Signore Aizen had told her, that she had forgotten to eat.

When she walked away from that man, he gave her something back that she thought she was losing. Ever since she arrived at Karakura Town, she was beginning to lose those aspects of her life. Trust. She had a hard time trusting, then Ichigo came in and she realized she trusted him. Normally, she would question everything and be suspicious. Signore Aizen reminded her not to be trustful-everyone tells lies and everyone will try to destroy you. Rukia saw behind his brown frame glasses and she saw there was something...untrustworthy about him.

Not being able to read his mind frightened her deeply, but it felt nice. It was new. She still got headaches when she read minds. She tried to become more cautious when she was around Ichigo–he was the only person she could think of that had ever caught her off-guard...and he had done it twice.

With Signore Aizen, she felt as if she needed to watch her back. Rukia wasn't sure if she was being paranoid about it or she truly felt this way. Since she received her curse of reading minds, it was not possible for her to not read his–or anyone's–mind. It was something she was used to since she was small. He was hiding something from her and if he was hiding something from her, "He must be hiding something from all of us."

Rolling her head to the side she thought over everything he had said to her, "A strong soldier and reliable." He was right about that nonetheless, the Others needed strong soldiers and she knew at this moment, she was one of the few people that had a blessed weapon or magic. This was quite bad in her opinion. From this class seven hollow, plenty of chaos had erupted in the meeting room. Many of the Others were trained to fight from their own natural ability, or from the different styles of martial arts that many humans had invented.

Rukia could already predict that the more hollows to appear, the less soldiers they were going to have. She, Momo, and Ishida couldn't fight all the hollows off. There might be a few official Others representatives that might have some weapons that were blessed, but it wouldn't be enough. It was never enough. They needed more. Every day and every minute that had passed, they were getting closer to the war. From the incident two days ago and the battle that occurred in Washington, it was closer than she ever thought or wanted.

For a moment, she admitted that she felt lost. She felt the unwelcoming and the rare sensation of 'not knowing' what to do. But for only a moment she allowed it to consume her, only for a mere minute she allowed the weight of the world to fall off her shoulders. For a small brief instant, she was a normal modern witch turning to a high class wizard that she wished she was. It washed over her gently and smoothly.

A loud sound blasted her awake, the beating of her delicate heart pounded in her ears loudly. The tranquility she felt, vanished, her sleeping sense of responsibility came back to life in full force. Getting rid of all the thoughts of living normally, she happily walked to her white sleek cell phone. Grabbing the phone in her hand, the LCD screen glowed with the name Shihōin Yoruichi staring at her. Shihōin Yoruichi. Egyptian beauty and were-jaguar who could also turn into a cat, was Rukia's material artist, and sorcery teacher. "Kuchiki Rukia here."

The voice on the other end laughed out loud before the brash, but seductive, American voice of her teacher came out. "Ah, Rukia, how is my favorite student?" Rukia already saw the cat like grin on her face as she drank vodka from her cup and watched her favorite television program in Washington.

"I'm your only student." Sitting back down Rukia rolled her eyes, "and I would be lying if I said I was just fine, Miss Yoruichi."

"Why?" The playfulness in her voice was still present, "is there anything I can do to help you?" A silence stuck between them for a split second.

"Actually…you can help me in some way."

Rukia could envision her teacher at this moment, she was probably in her favorite pale yellow little nightgown, purple hair loose and wild, golden cat eyes gleaming while she raised an eyebrow in interest. "Hmm, and what might that be?"

"Do you remember the company where you had purchased the blessed water from Seraphim?" Rukia remembered the name and tried to rattle her head for it, but couldn't pinpoint it in the files of memories she had. "It was somewhere in the Middle East, was it not?"

"Oh why yes it is, but why do you ask?" she purred.

Rukia took a second to decide whether or not to inform her teacher of her predicament, "It's something important however, I am not allowed to tell you, sorry."

An aggravated sigh answered her, then silence fell upon them again. The once amused voice responded to her steadily. "The man's name is **Urahara Kisuke," Rukia's mind rolled back to the first store she entered when she arrived to Karakura Town. The **_Urahara Shōten II,_ the shop where she got her new sketchbook. "And he has a shop; look for the _Urahara Shōten, _not two but one. It's in an isolated place but I know for a fact that he has at least gallons of the blessed water you're looking for. I'm sure Kurosaki Isshin can give you the directions…Rukia?"

"Ah, yes. Thank you very much." Rukia and Yoruichi had a small talk for less than ten minutes before they ended the call. They had mostly talked about why Rukia wanted to know where she bought the blessed water, if she met anyone in interest over there, and some other small and inappropriate matters.

Extending her left arm back in a lazy stretch Rukia sighed loudly. Talking to her hyperactive teacher seemed to drain her energy. Talking to Isshin – who also had the ability like her teacher to absorb her energy –was the first thing on her agenda. Even though she didn't want it to be, it was. She had no choice.

Unwillingly, she grabbed the hotel's phone and pressed the numbers that would connect her to the front lobby. The ringing on the other side lasted for a couple of seconds, "Hello this is the front lobby of the _Supra Natura_. How may I help you?"

Closing her eyes at the too cheerful voice she answered, "Yes, I'm Kuchiki Rukia and I would like to contact the owner of the hotel, Kurosaki Isshin."

A pause was all she heard, a few rustling of people and a nervous whimper, "Um…I'm quite sorry Kuchiki-san but I can't contact you to the owner."

"And why not." Noting that she didn't phrase it as a question didn't bother her; she felt her patience wearing off. Rukia started to breathe in deeply to control her temper. "What is your name miss?"

The woman on the other line stumbled, "I-Inoue Orihime, Kuchiki-san."

"Well Inoue are you going to tell me why I cannot contact Kurosaki-san?" Plopping herself on the sofa Rukia heard more nervous scrambling on the other end.

"W-well because he doesn't l-like t-to be d-disturbed at this hour."

Rukia did what her mind told her to and placed the palm of her hand on her face in frustration. She was hungry, tired, and needed to go see a man she didn't want to see. And this _woman_ was not letting her talk to the one man that can give her plain directions. "Inoue, I think you know who I am since Kurosaki-san only hired Others to work at his hotel. I need, not want, but need to talk to him on an important matter, and you are denying me of this right just because you are afraid of a little rule?" There was more fumbling on the other line, "Look I do not care one bit, I am going to talk to him."

Silence greeted her before a sniffing cry on the other end replied to her, "O-okay I'll c-connect you with him."

Rukia didn't hold back her soft scoff; she knew that when she was hungry she was cranky. Food was the only thing that could make her smile after a long day of work, so yes, she would accept the fact that she liked to eat similar to a bear before going into hibernation. She would eat and eat, then fall fast to sleep. "Thank you." She grunted out frigidly, and walked to her temporary closet.

Rukia heard a small pause then a dial tone, then ringing once again. Searching through her belongings, she pushed away items she packed and items that Rangiku must have packed, and bit her lip when she couldn't find it in her bag. She then looked around in the closet, and stopped when she found her white broom. Grabbing the broom in her hand she jerked in surprise at a harsh voice.

"Kurosaki here, and this better be important."

The twitching in the corner of her lips did not surprise her. It was rare in her case to hear the happy-go-lucky Kurosaki Isshin sound so serious, especially towards her. "I hope I am not disturbing you Kurosaki-san, but I do need some directions and I was hoping you could be so kind to provide me with them."

A loud gasp was heard on the other line and then, "Rukia-chan, my future daughter-in-law!" Cringingly, she held out the phone from her ear. "Of course you are not disturbing me, you never do! So how may I help you?" She gave a wry laugh, not believing that from one moment he went from a rigid tone to an ecstatic one. It amazed her and she wondered if all Kurosaki family members were like him.

"I need directions to a shop my teacher from America told me. It's called _Urahara Shōten_ one and I, sadly, need the directions to your son's home. Do you know where I can find it and him?"

"Of course! Ah, I'm so happy that you are getting along with my pathetic excuse-of-a-son!" Rukia shook her head and pulled out her notebook, along with a pencil. She leaned on the wall with her broom and waited for the directions from the alpha. "Are you ready Rukia-chan?"

"Yes." Isshin told her slowly the address of Ichigo's home. He had also told her which way she would need to turn, and where she should not be if she passed Ichigo's home. Then, he told her that Ichigo knew the location of the shop she was looking for, so Rukia didn't need to write it down. It took her a while to get off the phone from a hyper Isshin, but that man made her feel…happy and refreshed.

Once she had hung up and laid the phone back on its base, Rukia went towards her balcony and looked below. "There are not a lot of people down there but I should still be careful." Not feeling bothered that she was talking to herself, Rukia then decided to ignore the major, number one rule of flying: Never fly where there are many human witnesses.

Rukia rushed inside and collected her bag. She stuffed her phone, notebook, and pencil in it and swung it on her shoulder. Hunger slammed into her when she heard her stomach roaring again. Going back outside, she cast an invisibility spell on herself and grabbed her broom in her hand. Climbing on the thick, light brown cement railing of the balcony, Rukia balanced her broom in mid air without touching it.

The broom hovered on the other side of the balcony, over the people below her. Sliding the bag onto the front of her broom, she then plopped down on it as well. Her legs were suspended on one side of the broom. Her feet were planted on the railing before she pushed herself off.

There was a large gust of wind that rushed past her. The air was clean from the height she was at, and she looked down to the streets. As she lingered in that same position for another moment...

She felt infinite.

Crossing her legs she looked down and it astounded her on how simple it was to fly with some magic. Adjusting herself carefully, she pulled out her notebook, flipped to the page where she dotted the directions and gently leaned forward. Then, she was off. "That Big Bad Wolf better be there." She muttered as she tilted backwards and did a somersault in mid wind with a small smile on her face.

~*~*~*~

"Keigo get the hell out of here, right now!" Ichigo punched his friend in the face, and that didn't seem to work for Asano Keigo for he just bounced back and talked louder. He grew tired of his friend's pervert behavior.

Ichigo knew it wasn't entirely Keigo's fault since he was born as a satyr. A satyr in nature had some not-so-respectable priorities. One such priority was to adore wine, which was the first, and then the second was to adore all women. And this was what Keigo was, a man that loved to drink and loved to chase skirts.

Crashing onto his royal blue sofa, Ichigo watched his friend go back and forth singing about women and alcohol. Aggressively, he smashed his half lit cigarette onto the ash tray and slumped down further into the couch. "_It not fair_," his mind groaned.

It had been two days since he last saw Rukia and she had been purposely avoiding him, again. If he called, he would receive her voice mail, if he went to her hotel room he was met with silence, and even once he sent her food from the hotel's kitchen and she returned it with a note that said:

_Ichigo,_

_I am flattered that you had the need to contact me after your rude and unnecessary lecture. However, I do not need your aid at the moment. I shall call you when I need you, which is not now_.

_Sincerely,_

_Kuchiki Rukia_

It aggravated him to no end. All he did was scold her for being reckless when she had jumped into a battle where she didn't have any right to enter. Sure, she did have more experience than him, and maybe she did have a right but still. It took him a whole day to comprehend what he said, and how it actually offended her.

He still couldn't figure it out.

So, he had been and was still trying to… apologize to her. Even though the words "sorry" and "apologize" always tasted bitter in his mouth. Given that he never liked to give an apology since it meant he was wrong, and he didn't like to be wrong.

It was Saturday, and he was not on the clock and free from police work today. The last two days he was up to his neck in paperwork and patrolling. His shift of patrolling Karakura center ended five hours ago. After his three hour nap –the most sleep he had gotten in two days-Ichigo intended to go back to _Supra Natura _and ask to see Rukia again.

Then, his next door neighbor –and somehow friend since high school –Keigo just opted to come over for an uninvited 'visit'. And for him 'visit' meant to talk about the opposite sex with gusto and Ichigo was no saint when it came to his temper, so he had spent the last hour trying to kick him out. Every time he tried, Keigo would always come back with something new.

Ichigo even went so far as to call Kojima Mizuiro, another friend from high school, to take Keigo away. But the playboy vampire just brushed him away with, "I have a date with a girlfriend of mine." And hung up on him.

"_Lucky Bastard" _was the only thought in Ichigo's head after he hung up. Rubbing his face wearily Ichigo thought of different ways to get rid of the brown hair pervert that was dwelling in his home. "Keigo you damn satyr, just leave!"

A hurt whining cry left his throat, "Ichigo, my best bud how could you say that!?" He overdramatically fell onto the ground in a heap, "I thought we were close enough and mature enough to talk about females and their sexual anatomy!" Tears poured from his eyes, "And I'm only half satyr and if I remember correctly you're one-fourth of one as well on your mom's side!" He bawled.

The eruption that wanted to leave his mouth never came when the air in his home changed, and the recognizable scent of Kuchiki Rukia flooded his senses. He rose quickly and scanned his home. Growling at the still dramatic man on his floor, Ichigo seized Keigo from the collar of his shirt, and dragged him to the entrance of his home. He ignored the cries behind him as he went up the stairs, slammed his door open. "Leave! Now!"

Ichigo couldn't have Keigo in his house if Rukia was near. Another thing that satyrs were known for was their sexual turn on, and the need to jump on a nymph if one was near. He was only one-fourth of a satyr, so he could, somewhat, control himself when Rukia was near. That was another problem with having Keigo near Rukia, she was a nymph, and Rukia was one of the last living nymphs known to the Others Community.

Ichigo hauled Keigo out of his home, not caring that he landed on the frosty snow. "Ichigo, my best buddy how could you!" Keigo got up quickly from the ground, and paid no attention to the snow that was clawing down his shirt. "I thought we were going to hang out with each…damn."

The deadpan expression on Ichigo's face moved to confusion at Keigo's energetic speech that dissolved away slowly, then into a complete stop. Normally, Keigo would keep going and going until Ichigo slammed the door on his face.

Ichigo followed his friend's gaze to the one that had him distracted. Just floating a couple feet away –and above the ground–from them was the exact person Ichigo didn't want Keigo to see.

Ichigo's eyes trailed up to the length of the form: black boots, skin tight jeans, a turtle neck sweater that was kept too close to her body, and black hair cascading down her back. Her eyes twinkled a bit in what he hoped, was amusement, "My oh my, you have such an energetic friend, Ichigo."

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_**A/N: Tada, hope you enjoy this chapter, and that it was worth the wait. Also, I got a PM asking me if Rukia hated Ichigo, and my answer is "No." Rukia relationship with Ichigo, in my fic is just uncomfortable yet comfortable at the same time. She's unsure about Ichigo, but she knows she can trust him.**_

_**So, any other questions you can ask in a review or in a PM. Please review, and thanks for reading. **_


	6. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Ahhh~~~ this was a tr**__**è**__**s bien month! My fiancé came from Iraq today and had spent the whole month with me and his family. ;___; But he's leaving this Sunday so…I'm not trying to think about it.**_

_**Before I forget, I want to thank my beta-ers, and dedicate this to Ceiyn, a reviewer from my last chapter, mostly because her or his review had made me smile from how animated it was. It got me cracking up from the moment I started to read it. So Ceiyn, this chapter is for you.**_

_**Now…enjoy!**_

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_**Chapter 5**_

_**One Candle Lit**_

During the darkest of the night, I sit alone. I wonder if, one day, I will be able to light this candle. This very valuable candle that is white like a dove – this candle that was given to me by two important people when I reached the age of fifteen. They told me to light this candle once I found what I should be looking for.

What that is, I do not know.

The moment I received this candle, I thought back upon my childhood and concluded that this, like many other candles, had powers.

I delved deep within my past to remember when I was child of six. There was a cheerful old woman that used to live next to me. The old woman would light up a candle every night for her granddaughter. When I asked why, she told me her granddaughter was dead, and the candle was meant to guide her young soul back home if it was ever lost.

I learned that candles guide people back home.

A week before I turned ten, I saw my father light a candle in front of my mother's picture. He sat there, staring at the candle as it flickered and melted before his very eyes. I remember entering the room that used to be my mother's sanctuary. When my father noticed me, he gave me a small smile and when I started to cry, he allowed me to. He held me until I stopped and told me that my mother loved to light a candle every single day the week before my birthday. I did not ask why and he did not bother to explain to me why she did.

I learned that day, that candles bring back the sweet memories of our dearly departed.

I was fourteen years old when I saw my two mentors light a candle. Their daughter was next to me and we were praying and wishing for happiness in the future. The candle they lit was tall and slender; it was the color of cream and we stayed there until every single drop from the candle was melted. After it was gone they smiled and told me that for every candle I lit up, someone from the heavens above would watch over me.

I learned that day that candles were like guardian angels.

It wasn't until a year later that I learned that a candle could be a cruel gift. I sit here watching this unlit candle in front of me and how it seems to mock me. I wonder if it's because of what my mentors told me when they gave it to me, or because I don't have a reason to light it.

I am alone, listening to the world around me as I think. My relationship with my father vanished over the years and I do not see my mentors anymore since they moved away with their daughter. The elderly woman passed away years ago when I was a young teenager.

I do not have a reason to light this candle.

For it was my mother that lit a candle every day, a week before my birthday – my father now does it.

For it was that kind old lady that used to light the way for her wandering granddaughter's soul – not I.

For it was my kind mentors that used to pray with smiles for someone to watch over their daughter – they are now gone.

This candle could mean many things, but I realized that there is another meaning I learned when I was younger. A kind priest taught me that if I lit a candle, it would mean I have one God.

I wanted to laugh in the man's face; like I believe in God after everything he put me through Then again, he shouldn't even believe in me. Please, like I ever believed that God would be kind to me if I prayed to him.

I have no faith.

I stopped believing when I was eight.

Then, one day he gave me hope again and I was happy. It wasn't the same happiness I felt when I was younger but it was still something. For a short time I thought everything was meant for a reason – that God had plans for us all.

On that night, there was a candle lit in my room. Dancing gently before it went out; leaving me in the blackness of the world. I was surrounded by sins that I had never committed and, once again, God left me to dwindle in the dark; left me to absorb the sins and pain of people I did not know.

I lost my happiness again.

~*~*~*~

A tense stillness surrounded them – at least for Ichigo it did. Rukia seemed to be amused by Keigo whose mouth was gaping widely and Ichigo was sweating bullets for some unknown reason. The brown haired man on the floor appeared calm as he brushed off the snow from his brown sweater and his baggy blue jeans.

He dusted his hair and made quick eye contact with Rukia, "God has had sweet mercy on me to allow one of his angels to fall from heaven into this cruel world that I call home." Swiftly he made his way in front of her, and snatched her lithe hands into his own, "Oh sweet angel, does thou have a name?" Keigo took pleasure from having her hands in his own – happy with the thought that he was the one warming up her icy flesh underneath her thin gloves. That was until a choking grip from the back of his coat caught him off guard and threw him to the other side of the snowy lawn.

"Oh my," She said as she landed onto her feet quietly. Rukia monitored the man that was currently, as they say in America, 'eating snow.' "That was quite mean, Ichigo."

"The angel speaks!"

Ichigo threw his left shoe at Keigo in annoyance, "Shut up Keigo and leave!" Turning swiftly to the short witch, he gave her a sneer that went unnoticed by her. "Inside, now."

Shrugging her shoulders at him and his menacing tone, she went inside while humming her lullaby. He probably thought she was going inside because he told her to, which wasn't the case. She mostly agreed to go inside because she was cold and needed to go to the restroom…she was also famished and wanted to rummage through his kitchen. It was only fair for the favor she was about to give him, "Got it, chief."

Ichigo snorted at the nickname and made sure she closed the door before he turned to his idiot-of-a-friend. "Ichigo who is that angel, who name is Rukia?" Keigo breathed out her name in sweet adoration and it made Ichigo clench his teeth. "You have to introduce me to her. I need to know who she is and where she's from and her favorite hobbies…" The more he talked, the more it got harder for Ichigo to remain in control of his volatile emotions.

"Keigo…" The satyr in front of him stopped in mid sentence and turned towards him, "Never, and I repeat, never get that close to Rukia again."

The brown haired Other looked at him perplexed, "And why is that Ichigo? It's not like she's your mate and damn, she has such a nice ass and a…" Ichigo growled loudly and dawn seemed to come out earlier than usual as Keigo was greeted with a steel hammer to the head. "Oh shit…," he muttered miserably. To Keigo – and all Others who weren't retarded – he did something that was extremely taboo. He touched a wolf's mate.

"Yes she is…but she doesn't know it yet." The killing intent left Ichigo when Keigo realized what he had done. It was not his fault that wolves were territorial creatures, especially when it came to their mates. It was the same with other Were folks. It wasn't a personality trait but genetic one – and it couldn't be helped.

"Dude…how can she not know?" Turning his attention back on Keigo, Ichigo just shrugged and ran a hand through his hair.

"She's complicated and doesn't want to get close to anyone, so I decided to hint at it…gently." It was times like these that Ichigo was glad that Keigo had his serious moments.

"You, gentle? That's like asking you not fight with your pops for an hour." He snorted out, "Hmmm…so this was why you wanted me to leave, right best buddy?" Keigo rubbed his chin and tried desperately to erase the feeling of Rukia's hand in his.

"Yeah, since she's a nymph and you're a satyr." Knowing that he was being a bit harsh and a bit "_racist_" didn't bother Ichigo a bit since this was his mate that he was talking about.

"Dude…you're one too!"

"But only one – fourth."

Keigo sighed but gave him a toothy grin, "Well I'll leave you two alone only if you tell me when you hit second base. I mean, seriously, her skin looked so– " A warning growl knocked some sense into Keigo's thick skull as he scrambled a farewell and ran to his own home.

Ichigo saw his friend run away from him and could imagine his tail tucked between his legs. "_He's like a scared pup._" He thought with a nod and turned towards the door of his house. The beating of his heart increased with the thought of Rukia in his home. The things he wanted to do to her raced through his fevered mind. Physical acts that would leave both of them panting and wanting more – actions that would forevermore mark her as his and vice-versa.

Blushing slightly, he swallowed hard and pushed the door open forcefully. He entered his home nervously, trying not to imagine his fantasies playing out as he began to search for her. He was excited – too excited. He had been ignored for two days and now, finally, he had her all to himself again. On top of that, she didn't even seem to be mad at him.

"I'm still infuriated so don't get your hopes up, chief." Down went his hope, flushed in a toilet of despair. Twisting his head toward the kitchen, he spotted Rukia rummaging through his fridge.

"What are you doing?"

She stopped and looked at him with an obvious stare, "Looking for food, I'm starving." Her voice was as monotone as always.

"No, I mean what are you doing _here_?" Not that he was complaining.

"Why? Am I being a bother?" She grumbled when she shut the fridge door, and gave an annoyed huff. "I need to go to a store and your father told me you know where it's at," Pivoting around to face him she could already see the questions wandering in his eyes. "And I need you to come with me since what I need is something that you need." Moving from the kitchen to the living room she settled herself on to the sofa. "Understood?"

Even if he didn't understand what she was trying to say, he could clearly understand her body movements. Her slender legs were stretched out onto the couch and she lay on her stomach with her arms stretched above her. Glove covered her hands played with her long hair and her eyes looked like they were about to close.

It made him happy and his stomach fluttered when he saw that she looked and felt comfortable in his home. Her scent was relaxed and wasn't on alert like the other times he had seen her. She was growing used to him, which was good. Very good, since she said nothing as he sat next to her on the couch. "No, I don't understand."

"Hm, why not? I mean, you can't be that…slow could you?" She teased and almost let out a snort of a laugh when she heard another growl from him, "We have to do something about those growls, chief."

This time he groaned, "What's with the pet name? It's getting annoying."

Staring at him through her lashes she hid her smirk, "Sure thing, Kurosaki."

"Damn it, I told you to call me Ichigo!" Keeping her eyes on his, Ichigo could see the playfulness in hers. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

Jumping off the couch she turned away from him, and arched her back a bit to get rid of some kinks she gotten from all the slouching she was doing earlier. "I would be lying if I said 'no' Kurosaki," she ignored the warning rumble from his throat, "You are very easy to play with, and why shouldn't I? What about the pet names you have given me, hm?" She didn't let him answer that question, "Now are you going to take me to Urahara Shōtenor do I need to go by myself."

Ichigo pried his eyes from her lush ass and noticed that it wasn't a question but a demand. With a long sigh he got up unwillingly. "Why the hell do you want to go see that perverted shopkeeper anyway?"

Rukia pretended to ponder for a second, "Well I don't know? Maybe it's because I need to get something and the only place with the 'item' I am looking for happens to be at 'that' shop?"

Shaking his head he headed over to the counter to get his car keys, "Sarcastic aren't we or do you just have a dry sense of humor?"

Rukia forcibly drew her attention elsewhere and mumbled to herself, "Why does everyone keep saying that?" Deciding against bringing her broom, she swung her bag onto her shoulder and started to head out. "Hey, don't forget to bring your wallet."

Stopping in mid pull of putting on his jacket he looked at her questionably, "What? Why? I thought you are going to buy something, not me."

Throwing a look over her shoulder she said in a clam voice, "Now, I never said _I _was going to buy something." Moving her legs out the door once again she called over her shoulder, "I just said I needed something."

Sliding his hand down his face, Ichigo could already predict that his future with this woman was going to be difficult. That thought made him want to laugh loudly and howl at the moon like there was no tomorrow. At his unbelievable train of thought, he couldn't help the snicker that left his mouth. "_So this is how it feels to finally found your mate. You can actually see yourself having a future with them."_ Jogging up the stairs her saw a patient Rukia with her eyes closed. The same familiar sense of happiness flooded him and warmed his insides.

Now he wondered what it would feel like if she knew. "Come on witch." Her eyes fluttered a bit, almost as if she had just awakened from a long pleasant dream. Her lovely, dark blue seemed to be glowing until she took a deep breath.

Rukia shook her head and turned her gaze to the orange haired man with a frown, "It is not witch...It is Kuchiki Rukia."

Staring at her for a tad too long, he blinked and automatically gave her a huge smirk, "Kurosaki Ichigo." Gesturing her to move to the front of the house to reach the car, he intentionally brought his hand to the small of her back. "Let's go Rukia." Sensing nothing out of place when he touched her, he smugly kept his hand on her as he led her away.

~*~*~*~

Exasperation mixed with disbelief was the exact emotions on Rukia's face. She blinked a couple times and re-read the sign. Still not believing where she was at, Rukia looked at Ichigo who looked bored. Sensing her eyes on him, he turned to her, "What? You wanted to be brought to Mr. Hat-n-Clog's place, and here we are."

Saying nothing she kept staring at the shop. The small shop. The very, very small shop. "Um…I just thought it would be, you know, bigger."

Shaking his head, he suddenly opened the front door and pushed her inside – he made sure she didn't trip or fall from the force of his push. "Whatever, just gets your ass in there. I'm freezing mine off."

"Nice language." Ignoring his grunt, she allowed her curiosity to take over her. The small shop might have not been what she expected, but it was nice. Everything was in order and in place. There were rows and rows of… "Sweets?"

"Hm, yeah. Isn't that why we're here?" Rukia glared at him and sighed. She was confused and didn't understand why her teacher would send her here. She hadn't been this confused since the day her father told her that witches and warlocks were just other words for students in the Wizard and Priestess Association. Which was why she was confused when she got her first wand when she was eleven. Ichigo felt her bewilderment and felt a bit lost. "That isn't why we are here, huh?"

Shaking her head, she left Ichigo to follow her as she looked around. This shop had almost the same sweets as the other one had when she first arrived. From sweet chocolate, mouthwatering sourballs and many more other candies she couldn't name. Little girl dolls hung on one side of the shop while the other held bags for men and women. "Where's the owner?"

"Oh my, I'm here my _Honey_!" From the friendly voice that appeared, Ichigo gave a snarl towards the shaggy blond man behind the cashier register. The man only grinned before opening his fan, and tilted his striped green and white hat in a greeting. "Why with the snarl Ichigo-kun." The man sung behind the counter, and leaned towards them, one of his hazel eyes appeared. "My oh my, and what a beautiful woman you've brought me, Ichigo-kun!"

The man dressed in an open, long, dark brown coat with dimes circling on the bottom didn't flinch at all when Ichigo slammed his palm onto the counter. "I brought you nothing you old Pervert!"

"Temper. Temper." Swiftly he moved away from the counter and turned up next to an impassive Rukia. "I am the owner of this humble establishment." He made a move to grab her hand and which Ichigo fumed when she did nothing to stop him. "Now how can I help you?" About to take her hand close to his lips, Rukia scrunched her nose and pulled her hand away and replaced it with Ichigo's without a second thought.

She moved away, and didn't let the amusement show on her face when she heard both Ichigo and the owner cursing at her little hoax. "I do need help Urahara-san." She kept her eyes on the shelves, "My teacher tells me I can get blessed water here."

"Blessed water!?" Rukia looked at the beta wolf that was looking back at her with a confusion that he tried to hide by glaring hotly at her. He, of course, failed.

Rukia came up with the conclusion that this was his way to hide his thoughts or inner emotions. "You are quite easy to read, you know."

"Why you–" A small grounded yelp was muffled between his lips when he felt Rukia's heel dig into his foot. When Rukia finally placed her foot back onto the solid floor, he was left with a dull pain that begged his attention. However, his pride wouldn't allow her the pleasure of knowing that her 'stomp' had any effect on him.

"Now, as I was saying. My teacher told me I could purchase blessed water here, along with…other items." Rukia tilted her head and managed to look down on the man who was clearly at least a foot taller than her. "Is this true?"

Urahara snapped his fan closed and looked at her closely, "Depends…who's your teacher?"

Rukia smirked at him, "My teacher's name is Shihoin Yoruichi, and she told me to tell you that she will be visiting you very soon."

He stopped breathing, or that was Rukia and Ichigo's guess before he tried to grab her in a death hug – which Ichigo quickly stopped, "Don't touch her!"

Rukia swiftly hit his side with her elbow, and pushed the pain stricken lupine away from her. "I can protect myself Ichigo and you…" Her cold stare pinned the owner. "You are going to sell us the items that I – we – need, aren't you?"

Urahara glanced at her, then at Ichigo, then back at her. A loud laugh bounced off the walls of the shop. "Of course I am! If it's Yoruichi's student than I'll do everything I can in my power to please her!" Walking over the curtain he opened it for them to go through. "Please this way."

Rukia glanced at Ichigo for a moment before heading deeper inside of the store. Amber eyes followed her silhouette before venturing after her. Taking a deep breath, Ichigo was assaulted by different scents, "_Three people_," he figured, there are three other people or more specific, Others in the shop. Ichigo sorted through the different smells, and classified the ones he already knew. Two males and one female was all his mind could obtain before a cough interrupted his train of thought.

Urahara grinned at Ichigo who snarled at him in warning before catching up to Rukia. In the next room, there was a traditional Japanese wooden table with cushions as seats. A very tall, muscular, dark-skinned man stood near another doorway. His hair was braided back, he had a thick mustache, and he was wearing a white apron. "I'm Tsukabishi Tessai...it's a pleasure to meet you. Please, sit down." His voice was heavy and rumbled with every word he spoke. "I shall bring something to drink." Bowing his head, he retreated to the other room.

Ichigo sat next to Rukia and watched her carefully from the corner of his eye, while he kept his ears attuned to everything. "Now, now Ichigo-kun, what's with all the formality?" Hearing no answer from the beta wolf, Urahara shifted his eyes onto the black hair nymph. "So cold, Ichigo-kun, you should be friendlier with me. After all, I'm your Godfather." This brought awareness to Rukia's blue eyes and she studied the blond haired man for a moment. "Now Kuchiki-san, please advise me, do you wish to only to purchase blessed water or do you also wish to purchase a blessed weapon for Ichigo-kun as well?"

Rukia cut Ichigo off swiftly, and gave the bucket hat wearing man an icy smile. "Both, if you please. I need for Ichigo to have a weapon, and as a wolf he will need to have his claws blessed as well. I am thinking you can provide me with both of these items, right?"

Opening his fan once again he headed towards the back door, "Of course Kuchiki-san! Just let me look in my inventory, and I'll let you know if I have something for him." He turned, and barely avoided Tessai as he brought in two warm cups green tea. He placed them down onto the table with such softness for a man of his stature. Accidently, his hand brushed against Rukia's –

"_I wonder why Urahara-san asked me to lace poison in her drink. I hope she has someone around her when the poison starts to take over. I would not like her to die from this. Hmm, she reminds me of her mother. Oh dear I mixed up the two drinks! Shit…I gave Kurosaki the poisons tea. Oh dear what do I do? I need….I need to tell Urahara-san!"_

– before he saluted them, and left in a hurry. With the last thud of the giant's steps fading away Ichigo directed his eyes at Rukia calm form, "Why am I getting a weapon? I mean, I understand why I need blessed water, but I already have a weapon." To emphasis his point, Ichigo opened his coat and showed her the gun that was secured in his holster.

"You are weak along with your gun, and you have no gun in your holster." The bluntness of her voice stabbed him directly in his heart. Then, he cursed when he looked down and saw that she was right. There was no gun in his holster.

"Where the fuck is my gun?" Ichigo thought back and clearly remembered he had his gun earlier that day. He had it in the car drive here because he made sure it had its safety on. He whipped his head at Rukia who was toying with her drink, stirring it lightly. "Ruk –"

"I need you to be stronger," She angled her head a tad upward where their eyes connected. "You said we are partners and I need my partner to be equipped with a useful weapon, may it be a gun or a knife or a sword." Taking hold of the clay cup, she brought the soothing tea to her lips.

With a scowl he tried to stay calm. "Got any idea at where my gun went, sweetheart."

"None whatsoever, sweetheart," she repeated his nickname for her with a smile. "Are you not twenty-four years old, Ichigo? You should not be losing your toys." She sang the last part while he grew red with embarrassment.

"Fine, then tell me. Why do I need to have a weapon that is blessed so badly? Are they really that strong?"

"Yes…well it mostly depends on the person that wields them. We all, humans or Others, have an energy called, reistau. Some stronger than others, and this is why you need one Ichigo." Rukia eyes stayed on Ichigo's drink as she drank hers again. She needed to get his drink away from him. "You have a strong and powerful reiryoku, and because of this, I need you to have something to protect yourself with…unless you're afraid." A hand propped under her chin and a sly alluring grin appeared on her red lips.

Ichigo gawked at her openly, baffled until his thoughts came back and knocked his head awake. "What! No, listen here princess, I do not do fear. I'm not afraid and I shall get that so-called-blessed weapon that you want me to get, and I'll show you who is afraid!"

"First of all, do not call me princess; in fact I would even prefer if you to call me 'sweetheart' rather than 'princess.' And secondly, I never accused you. I was just commenting on one of the reasons why you might not want to get a weapon." Rukia stayed calm and unfazed as Ichigo brought his face closer to hers.

"Well, let's go get us a blessed weapon from the highest ranked angel." Smirking, his hands went to his cup, already feeling the hot steam coming off the tea on his fingertips. Rukia eyes widened a fraction when he reached for it, and thinking quickly she shot out her hand and grabbed the cup before he did. "What the fuc –"

"Sorry Ichigo, but I'm a growing little girl. And as a growing little girl I need my… um green tea." Swiftly she drowned the lukewarm tea, ignoring the fact that it burned her tongue and made her eyes water. She took every last drop and moved away expertly when Ichigo tried to get hold of it. Finally, after every drop was gone from the cup she set it down with a loud thud. Her stomach started to ache and she could feel the warm tea in it as she shifted back in position. "Here you can have mine."

"If you had yours, why did you drink mine?" Damn she was stupid. No words came from her mouth as she tried to think of an excuse. She was saved by a worried Urahara who came through the door. His hazel eyes looked at the empty cup in front of Ichigo.

"Um...Ichigo-kun, did you drink your tea?"

Ichigo huffed in annoyance and thrust his hand towards Rukia who started to drink her own tea calmly. "No, this thing you call a witch, drank it all before I could even have a sip." The twitch in her eyebrow went unseen, but not the feeling of her elbow connecting with his side. Hunching over, Ichigo rubbed his side and glared at a nonchalant Rukia.

"Oh, did she?"

"Yeah," The dull pain went away quickly with his lupine immunity kicking in. "Did you find it already?" He asked.

The striped hat on Urahara's head covered his eyes, and his open white fan covered his nose and mouth. The moment that Urahara eyes met Rukia's he got the feeling that something was wrong. Not in a bad way, but something was off. Was it pure luck she happened to drink Ichigo's tea or perhaps she knew? It could be possible, or maybe lady luck was smiling down upon him. She moved gracefully, not caring that he was staring at her intensely. "_No, she must know something_." Remembering that his lupine godchild was here, he covered up his suspicion and smiled brightly at them. "Yes, of course! Get up and follow me!"

Ichigo got up first and dusted the back of his pants. His hand extended outwards to offer Rukia help to get up. When he felt nothing but air for five seconds, he looked down and noticed she wasn't there. "Wha –?"

"Oh so sorry Ichigo-kun! I already help Kuchiki-san up!" Looking ahead of him, Urahara smiled cheerfully as Rukia placed on her gloves, and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Let's go!" Urahara sang the last past and went on ahead. Ichigo followed behind with a sigh, placing his hand onto Rukia's lower back.

She barely recognized the weight of his hand on her as they played 'follow the leader' with Urahara. When she touched the blond man's hand, she read his mind. Like how she read Tessai. His thoughts poured into her head freely, filling her up with words and images. One being the small glass orb she once dreamed of. All of his thoughts were centered on her. But most of them were questions. Questions that left her feeling awkward.

That he knew something of her past, of her being, that even she did not know of. Her only thoughts of the man were, "_Who is he_? _What does he know_?", and _"How in hell does he know my name, when I did not even give it to him?"_

Walking down the halls, they stopped at a broken down looking door, the paint on it was chipping off, and the smell of rotting wood rolled off of it. Ichigo snarled slightly at the smell and Rukia wrinkled her nose before she sneezed. Urahara turned and smirked at them behind his fan, he then pushed the door open. Behind the door it was a different world. The room walls were cover in steel, a row on the left and right has thick plated glass covering weapons that had little glass bottles next to them. The headache that Rukia developed had calmed down a bit with the room's cold temperature.

"Ichigo-kun!" Urahara walked over to Ichigo and slung his arm around his shoulder. "I'm going to lead you down this hall, my wonderful godchild." There was a hard glint in his eyes as he continued, "But I must warn you. What you're going to see in this hall, you must not speak to anyone outside of these," he circled them with a cunning smirk, "walls." Urahara pushed Ichigo in front, flapping his hands in a forward motions, "I'll make sure that Tessai keeps Kuchiki-san company!"

"What, no." Ichigo grabbed Rukia by the arm, "She's coming with me, let's go Rukia." Rukia, who was spacing out during their small conversation, let out a yelp as Ichigo pulled her away from the entrance of the 'safety room'. Normally, she would protest but her head hurt too much to even brother to start a dispute with him. Absent mindedly she waved goodbye to the smiling…waiter, and fell into step with Ichigo when he finally released her arm. "What kind of business are you running, Hat n' Clog?" He asked.

"Nothing to worry your little head about, Ichigo-kun," Urahara said with a smirk. He led them down, their footsteps echoed loudly as they passed by walls of emptied shelves. Urahara stopped and turned around to them, and then smiled. "First of all, Ichigo-kun, here is your new gun."

From the palm of his hand, a sphere began to form. It was a light cream color, with dust of sparkles and specks of shining lights peeking through as it got bigger and bigger. Being use to this type of simple magic, Rukia looked away and rubbed her temples, her headache was becoming stronger.

Urahara stretched his palm out and with a whisper of words, the light expanded in one last attempt before it vanished and left behind a handgun. It rested heavy upon his hand, cool and slick and was the color of blackest night. "The things you could do with magic are quite terrifying, Ichigo-kun." Urahara said as he handed the gun to Ichigo.

"That was fast," Ichigo murmured as he weighed the weapon, and came to the conclusion that it was perfect. Light enough to be carried around for hours on end, but heavy enough that the recoil after the fired wouldn't affect his aim. Ichigo turned it over and felt some sort of energy coming from it as he asked, "How did you get this gun on such short notice?"

"Did you not hear him, Ichigo?" Rukia piped up, "Magic is a terrifying thing," Rukia stepped forward and laid one of her fingers on the sleek metal, "This gun is only meant to be fired and held by you – only you – and like every kind of weapon made by magic, you are able to use this on either humans or Others."

"Now come on, we need to get your gun and claws blessed." With a tip of his bucket hat, Urahara started to walk again. Silently Ichigo and Rukia followed, and as they venture deeper to wherever they were going, Ichigo finally noticed the walls that were made of steel completely stopped in the middle of the hallway they were in. They were in a tunnel from the moment the steel walls vanished and now were walking in nothing more than carved out earth, curved into the shape of an arch.

Ichigo ears twitched when he heard the sound of a waterfall getting louder. "Ah, so we must be close if you have heard the water, Ichigo-kun."

"And where is this place that you're takin' us, Hat n' Clog." Instead of answering right away, Urahara gestured with his head and turned the last corner of the tunnel. With a huff, Ichigo followed with Rukia walking in front of him by three steps. Rukia raised a brow as Ichigo's mouth dropped open.

"I want to welcome you to the Oasis." There was a blast of strong wind that rushed past them and a strong ray of light blinded them – it was amazing. Wherever they were at, it was underground but sunny. Lush trees, bushes, plants, and flowers surround them in addition to the large waterfall. "Outstanding, isn't it?" Urahara gazed at the water, at the crystal molded environment, and at the transparent rock holding the water that came out of nowhere.

"This is the only location where blessed water can be taken from. It was said that when the Others were created, God had also created the hollows as a way to balance out our world. God gave the Others unique gifts, and made a special location for them to obtain this water to help vanquish the hollows.

"Then, man came. Others brought man to this holy location and they abused the water. In a fit of rage, God made the earth swallow this paradise; this paradise where the weather is always perfect, where no evil can enter, where only the most honored of Others can enter to fight off the hollows.

"Everything that is feeding off of the holy water here, underground, becomes glass." Urahara whipped around, and beckon Ichigo to come closer, "Now, Ichigo-kun, I will need you to first transform yourself into your Were form. Next you'll take a swim in the water, only for ten seconds before you come out, understood?"

Ichigo began to take off his shoes followed by his shirt before looking at Urahara, "What about the gun?"

"Oh, I almost forgot!" The blond man was not laughing. Any trace of his previously jovial façade had disappeared. "I'm going to fill a vial with the water and give it to you. Nothing metal can be blessed here, you have to do it outside of the Oasis."

Ichigo shrugged and took off the rest of his clothes, and then he remembered that his mate was here in the room with him as well. She might have been watching him taking off his clothing the whole time, holding her breath as she saw what she felt during their first meeting on the roof those nights ago. Glancing behind him slyly, almost hoping that she was indeed staring at him he was met with Rukia's cheek. She wasn't even looking at him or anywhere in fact. Eyes were close and her foot tapped on the floor as she hummed something he could decode.

As if she did not care or already seen this before. Her cheeks were not red and she looked calm as she rubbed her left temple with the ball of her palm. "She could at least look embarrassed." He grumbled out and slipped off the rest of his clothing before he began his transformation. Ichigo felt the heat of his body shifting, rotating, and sliding into place that. The inside of his body twisted, turned, and trembled into positions that were not natural. Hair grew thicker and darker as his skin stretched and grew over his expanding muscles. Ichigo grew taller, broader, and his vision became extremely sharp along with the rest of his senses.

Urahara looked impressed and shook his fan at Ichigo, "You look great, Ichigo-kun! Sometimes I wish I was a werewolf; to look all masculine and have impulsive sexual needs! It seems like fun."

"_What would be fun is to punch you in the face, you perverted old man_." Ichigo barked out even if his words didn't make sense to his godfather. Yet when he had attempted to say that, Rukia eyes shot open and stared at him. Her heart beat was fast, her blood raced through her body, and she gasped out quietly enough that Urahara didn't hear her. However, that wasn't the same for Ichigo who had heard her gasp and could hear her heart pounding. With the concern he had over his mate he gruff out, "_You okay?_"

Not realizing what she was about to do, Rukia responded with a "Yes, I'm fine." Before she turned away from him, eyes closed once again. It felt the time between them slowed down as Ichigo jumped into the water, smiling as he counted to ten and she stood there watching the water ripple, biting her bottom lip as she heard what he said before he jumped in. "_Perfect_."

~*~*~*~

Urahara flapped his fan at Ichigo and Rukia while he pressed buttons onto the cash register. "Let's see…how much should I charge you?!"

"Bastard, is that all you care about?" Ichigo snarled at him while noticing Rukia having trouble carrying her bag. With a roll of his eyes, he took her bag from her, noticing that it wasn't that heavy and almost weighed nothing.

"Ichigo!"

His eyes wandered down and he smirked at her. She looked surprised and relieved at the same time for taking the extra weight off of her, but there was a speck of stubbornness that stayed on her face. Easily, he held her bag away from her. "What?"

"Oh, please." She said with a scowl on her own, "Don't say 'what' when you know clearly what I want."

"Hm, your bag?" Playfully he lifted her bag in the air, "this one, right?"

"Yes."

"I'll carry it for you." Slinging the bag onto his back he grinned triumphantly when she sighed and allowed him to be gallant for once.

"Fine…"

"Aw, you two are so cute!" Urahara cooed, "Ah, to be young again would be so wonderful." Sniffing a bit, he hid tears behind his fan. "I miss my black kitty-cat!" He began to wailed, going on about Rukia's teacher and how he had missed the days where he used to make women drop to their knees with a sly smile. As always, when Ichigo was irritated with him and wanted to leave hastily, an idea popped into his head.

Smirking evilly he took a hold of Rukia's forearm, and backed out of the shop slowly as Urahara kept 'crying' for being old and alone. Not noticing a mischievous Ichigo and a clueless Rukia backing away slowly.

Finally, when Ichigo got both of them outside of the shop unnoticed, he took off with an unwilling Rukia behind him. "Ichigo, stop!" Rukia yelled at him as they past shops, people, and parks. He only stopped when they were a good mile away from Urahara's, and Rukia was beginning to pant from the run. Ichigo bellowed in laughter while Rukia tried to contain her own laughter that was desperately trying to surface.

She shouldn't be laughing, oh dear no. This wasn't good behavior, for it was unladylike to leave a shop without paying. This was foreign to her, but not unwelcome. She held onto Ichigo's forearm as her stomach started to hurt from the rising laughter inside of her. She still didn't know why it was funny, but her blood was pumping in excitement. Her light laughs mixed with Ichigo's louder one. Everything seemed to be great and unnatural for her. Maybe this was what her mentor told her to do, to experience. Maybe this is how it is suppose to–

A shot pierced her heart, and all the enjoyment she was feeling left her instantly. The world around her faded, her hearing disappeared, and her body turned numb. Dear god her head. Why does it feel like someone was jumping on her head repeatedly? "Rukia?" A small jerk passed her, and she was awakened. She mentally slapped herself and reminded herself that she couldn't space out while she was in public.

No, she was a Kuchiki. Childish moments like these were not suppose to happen. 'This' was not normal. Rukia didn't want to say anything to him and tried to gain back the control she lost. However, she didn't want Ichigo to become more concerned for her. So, she shifted her eyes to Ichigo's and beckoned him to continue. "You alright?" Warm amber eyes glazed at her. Blood vanished from her face, small bags under her eyes became more visible, and her breathing slowed down a bit. "You don't look too hot."

Snorting at him, she pushed his invading palm off her forehead and walked away from him. "I'm fine Ichigo. Just a little headache and a little nauseous. I shall be fine." Yeah, sure she'll be fine after some pills and sleep. Maybe a shower. Who was she kidding, if she wasn't careful with her movements and speed she could faint at any moment.

Why did she read two minds so close to together? She was used to reading one mind at least once every three hours. She wasn't supposed to be reading two minds within a span of five minutes. Her body was screaming at her for her stupidity, and she felt her blood pumping through her small body in pain, and was there a jackhammer on her head? Her vision blurred a few times but she pushed it away.

Her breathing came out shorter due to her 'gift', and from the mile sprint that Ichigo made her do, and she couldn't forget the fact that she has asthma. Moving her hand on top of her heart, she felt nothing. She doesn't feel the beating of it underneath her palm, but the pain was still there, and she fisted her hand over her 'nonexistent' heart. Her inhaler, she needed it. Bringing her other hand to her side she was met with nothing, looking down on her side she didn't see her bag.

"Rukia, look at me!" Blazing amber eyes stared at her hotly, "Damn it, you're burning up."

Slapping his hand away she said, "You got my bag?"

"Yeah, why?" While she looked a bit hazy, Ichigo took a hold of her. "Rukia?"

Her breathing got harder, and she distantly wondered what she would do when Urahara's poisons kicked in as well. "My inhaler, I need it." Even through her breathless words she still tried to maintain her Kuchiki poise.

"You have asthma?" He almost yelled, and instead of answering him she nodded her head, and suddenly she gripped him when the ground tilted to the side. Ichigo already had her bag open, and searching for her inhaler as his nerves were on fire. Grinding his teeth when he couldn't find it, his mind couldn't help but come up with the thoughts of her dying because he couldn't find her damn inhaler. "You should have told, why didn't you tell me?!" He asked when he finally got the inhaler and placed it in her hand hastily.

Pushing away from him, she breathed in deeply when she pressed down on the top. Her wheezing stop and her head cleared up along with her watery vision, "You never asked," she replied with a smile, and her lungs rejoiced with the feel of air entering her. Her head kept on pounding and she felt her stomach turning over and over, but she was glad that she was gaining control.

Control was good.

"But you still should have told me!" Ichigo brought her body closer to his, one of his arms wrapped around her waist, "Is there any other illness you have?"

"I have no heart."

"Don't fuck with me, Rukia!" He snarled at her for being sarcastic, didn't she see that she was in pain? That this could have been avoided if he knew.

Her eyes lowered and a grim smile made way on her lips, _"It's true though."_ She told herself, she could hear her heart, and she knew it was 'there' because it was moving blood throughout her body. But when she tried to feel it, it disappeared from her. Even in an x-ray it did not show up, only a blank spot would appear. He was calling her name again, she didn't react to it. Blackness fogged over her mind, it whispered sweet taunting lullabies to her. "I need to go."

"What?" Ichigo was outraged, how could she expect him to leave her in the state she was in now? No, she needed to go to an Others doctor, "You're insane Rukia, I'm taking you to the Doc's."

"I don't need to go to a doctor," With the last ounce of her physical strength she tore herself away from his body, shivering at how cold she felt once she was separate.

"Rukia!" Amber eyes widen when she held her hand out, a thin sheet of crystals leave her lips and her eye lids lower. Her wand, a delicate wooded stick, appeared and she held on to it firmly.

"I do not need help or protection." She said, and she wasn't sure if that was for him or a reminder for her. They stayed like that, in a contest of will. "With a flick of her wrist and a chant from her lips, the world around him started to slow down, "Don't worry, but for now, I need to leave." Why was she trying to reassure him, it wasn't any of his business what she was going through. Ichigo wanted to roar his frustration at her, he wanted to deny all of her actions, and claim that she was losing her mind.

At the same time, he understood her and where she was coming from. She had a hard time trusting, he knew that. They might not know each other that well, but he understood from the way she talked, the way she moved, and the way her eyes would flicker with unspoken desires that no one could catch. He could read her, those actions and hidden thoughts that one would think nothing of, meant so much more to him. He knew she had the ability to get close to people. However, she would hesitate to act upon their actions and retreated into her hardened shell of ice she set up.

She was hiding something from him, and he didn't blame her. Each person had their own story, but he wanted to know her story. Even as time froze for him and even after he couldn't move. He knew that he was still going to try to get closer to her. He wanted her, so even now, he still forgave her. Deep down, he knew that she was scared. Why, he did not know. Who she was, he did not know...but he wanted to save her. "Rukia…"

"See you later, Ichigo." And in a flash, she disappeared from his sight, or maybe it was the other way around?

_Twenty Minutes Later:_

After entering her room, she fell upon the bed. The pain was back. Rukia didn't bother to get her inhaler and she forgot about her pills, deciding sleeping would be a more convenient way of to get rid of her pain. If she fell asleep, everything would be okay. If she slept, her body would heal itself without her trying. Blood dribbled down the corner of her lips and her eyes watered from the pain. _"It's okay"_ she repeated to herself, _"It's not the first time someone tried to poison you."_ She trembled uncontrollably, _"God is a cruel man that won't let me die. So I'm okay."_ Then, her body grew numb, _"I'll live."_ Cold, now she felt cold. _"I'll live."_ Death was approaching, _"I'll live."_

The shadow from the corner of the room grew in size. Crawling and dripping dew of the forgotten memories of others as it covered the room. There was a hollow echo in the cage she was in. A force of an unnatural darkness pressed her down and she smelled death. The smell of burning flesh scraped at the edge of her sanity. She could now hear the screams of anguish, and saw the tears of torture and agony play across her eyes.

This was normal.

It was only when you could hear nothing, that you could hear everything. Beyond the noises her body made and beyond the noises of the suffering victims of death, she could hear the tick of a clock, and the sound of a grain of sand being dropped.

Time was such a fragile element. Time could not be controlled. Time was something that no one can achieve. Her mother once told her that everyone in the universe, every living being, had an hour glass. An hour glass represented a soul's time on earth, while that soul still lived in their body. "One must never try to control time, to alter it in any way." Her mother told her, "Bad things happen to those that try to change their destiny."

She stared at nothing that soon became something. The memories that she had obtained from reading minds. The memories that were too painful for the original owners came to her: the loss of a loved one, the desperate need to become powerful, the brink of insanity, so on and so forth. The most painful memories, along with the most sinful, ones came to her. She had them inside of her, where her own memories were disappearing to make more room for the new ones. She was forgetting who she was so she could please God.

Rukia couldn't hear her heart beat anymore. Has her time come to an end? No, God wasn't a kind person to her. He will make her suffer. Make her pay for the sinners that roam the earth, and make the ones that could not move on, move on. Was she a good person for doing this? No, she wasn't. She was being forced to do this. She was being forced to wash away others' worry. She wondered who would help her lick her own wounds.

Who was she kidding? Why was she even thinking about this, and why was she so selfish? Death...sounded so sweet at times, yet she knew,_ "I'll live."_

_

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_**A/N: Tada, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and it was more entertaining than last chapter. Also, I love my page breakers, "~*~*~*~" mostly because I love those squigglies...I just feel the need to tell you that. **_

_**If any spelling or grammar mistakes please do point them out for me.**_

_**Please review and see you next month. ^^**_


	7. Chapter 6

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A/N: I think this is the first time I posted a chapter this late; I bet many of you thought I wasn't going to post a chapter, huh?

_**Anyways, as always, thank you my two beta-ers, and all my reviewers and readers that added me to their favorites and alerts. It makes me happy to know that many like my fic; it makes me want to write more for everyone's sake. **_

_**Also, many thanks to **_**KATAANGFOREVERanEVER**_**, who did a drawing for my fic. It's adorable and quite lovely. Here is the link to it, and just removed the " — " :**_

_**kataangforeveranever. - deviantart. - com/art/Sniff-Sniff-161655706**_

_**Thank you all, and please enjoy this chapter!**_

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_**Chapter 6**_

_**Promise**_

I'm the type of person that likes to keep my word. If I make a promise, I'll make sure I follow through. I want to be reliable. I want people to know that I am dependable. I want to be helpful towards the people that I care for.

A few days ago when I was leaving work, I happen to find a note in my car and it had your handwriting in it. It said,

"_A promise is a transaction between two or more people, whereby the first person undertakes in the future to render some service, gift to the others, or devotes something valuable now and here to his use. A promise is an agreement, a pact, an oath, and a bond of trust. It's important to keep your promises; however, some promises are meant to be broken, some are meant to be ignored, others are simply unimportant, and then there are few promises that are meant to be kept forever in the dark_."

I sat there wondering what you were trying to tell me, why you are telling me this. I couldn't figure it out and it was getting late, so I went home. I would have stopped by to see you, but it was three in the morning. Getting home, I didn't bother to change or anything, instead, I just sat alone and thought about it...and thought about it.

I had never mentioned the note to you until now, months after discovering it.

I have something to tell you. Since the moment I met you, even if it wasn't the most normal introduction between two people, I made a vow. I vow to protect you. I vow to always be there for you. I vow to love you for eternity. You might not believe me; I know how hard it is for you to trust someone. I know you, I do and I vow to you that I will love you. If you wait and stay with me, I know I can melt away the icy exterior that encases your heart.

I will protect you.

Please, place your trust in me because I will never leave you. I want you to know that you can come to me whenever you like-if you're in trouble or not. I'm here for you.

I am reliable. I am dependable. I will keep you safe, and I will stand next to you. This promise I'm making to you, is a promise that I will keep in my heart forever, and even beyond the day I die.

~o~o~o~

Urahara stood there and frowned when he saw that his customers were gone…and did not pay for a single item they took. Sighing, he looked behind him and saw Tessai there, looking serious as always. "Shouldn't you have kept the girl here?" He asked.

Urahara tapped his finger against his chin and grinned widely, "I couldn't even if I wanted to, our little _beta_ wolf would prefer to chew off his own paw before leaving Kuchiki-san behind." Urahara walked outside and smiled when he caught the melody of singing Siberian Blue Robins. "The poison isn't dangerous towards her, it was meant to knock her out after all. I wanted to conduct some…experiments, see how much she changed since her last check-up. It would have been deadly if Ichigo-kun took it, but he didn't, thanks to Kuchiki-san…" He grew serious, the smile still present on his face, "how did she end up drinking that cup of tea, was it pure coincidence?"

"Nothing in this world is coincidence." The larger man said, "You once told me that."

"Did I now?" Urahara said calmly as he turned around, facing Tessai with a glint in his eyes, as if he discovered something astounding, perhaps he did. "Tessai…do you know what makes a blue bird extraordinary?" The larger man shook his head as he began to sweep the porch, "they can't see the color blue."

_One Hour Later_:

"_Why does time move so slow_?" Ichigo wanted to growl loudly. He lay there, and wasn't sure if he was frozen or just asleep and was dreaming. When Rukia froze time for him, he thought that he would be frozen in public and would be able to move in ten minutes or so. This was what he thought at the beginning when he was coated in a sheer layer of dull glowing yellow dust. No, at first she did freeze him, but then she somehow transported him back to his apartment. It was a blur of misty smoke, he blinked and poof, here he was.

He was awake, he knew that now, but couldn't move. Somehow she gotten him onto his couch and now he stared blankly at his white ceiling. A low, vibrating hum moved through his body and he felt his blood flowing inside of him. With every swift turn and flow of his blood, it was as if his body was being filled. Discovering areas of his body he didn't know existed; a new breath of life had brought him back.

After being awake for five minutes, or at least he thought it was five minutes, the first thing that popped up in his mind was Rukia. Thoughts of her raced across his eyes, he wondered hotly if she was okay, if she was safe. He wanted to be next to her, he needed to be next to her. The natural instinct to be next to his mate coursed through him, to be there for her, to have her lean on him for support when she needed it. It fueled him.

There was a sick sensation in his stomach, a bad taste in his mouth. It felt horrible, repulsing not knowing how Rukia was. Fiercely he tried to pump his lupine blood throughout his large body faster, gritting his teeth as he snarled at his immobile body. Slowly, almost as if he was stuck to the couch, he peeled himself away. The heavy weight of his body was present and annoying as he ran up and out of his apartment.

Stopping idly right on the sidewalk, Ichigo turned to direction of the _Supra Natura_, and for the first time in a long time; he wanted to punch himself. It was because of his stupid stunt of running away from Urahara's that he forgot his car. It was six in the evening and during this time it was when the streets are more active, too many people, and too many cars.

He wouldn't be able to shift to his wolf form if he took to the streets. The _Supra Natura_ was close to ten miles away, and would take close to half an hour for him to jog there, an hour to not get caught by any humans if he went as a wolf. Urahara's was only a mile away and he could be there in less than four minutes in his human form. He could go over there, take his car and use the back street short-cuts to arrive at the hotel in ten minutes. Nodding his head at his plan, he forced his body to turn away from the hotel and ran to Urahara's.

As the wind whipped violently against his body, he repeatedly called himself an idiot, a moron, and anything else he thought of that was insulting. How could he let this happen? He was a god damn Lupine and she was his mate. He was supposed to know these things even with her not telling him. It was instinct, the only reason he wouldn't be able to sense her was if she was dying.

Ichigo almost stopped, that thought had never crossed his mind before. Then again, he only met her a few days ago. The thought of not sensing her because of Death brought his cells up in flame, the hairs on his body stood up tall as his muscles tensed, and his awareness became more sensitive. Growling loudly, he ran more quickly toward his God Father's store, and before he knew it, he was in his car. Almost like Fae magic, his car keys appeared inside his hand and he gave life to his car.

Setting his car in drive, he was out of there in less than ten seconds. His hands gripped the steering wheel firmly; his eyes automatically scanned the roads. All of the numbness inside of him disappeared and was replaced with the pumping sound of his rushing blood. He only cared about was arriving to the hotel in less than ten minutes. Speeding there, using the back streets, he saw a large black smudge of paint on one of the walls.

The blob of black faced slightly that he saw the real red painting behind it, and it brought back a memory: the black smoke It was then he realized that all of those black shadows, mist, fog – whatever you wanted to call it – were hovering over her form.

It was death.

It was death that was coveting her, death that was following her, death wanted her. From the way she looked when she vanished him, death might even have her. "Over my dead body he'll have her!" Snarling the words out of his mouth, Ichigo slammed the door of his car open when he was finally outside of the _Supra Natura_; he threw his keys to the Valet, and rushed inside to the front desk.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue Orihime smiled at the _beta_ brightly as he breathed in deeply. The great God in heaven must have answered her prayers! Kurosaki Ichigo was finally coming to see her, to see her and maybe he would finally realize that she was his mate. He must have been tossing and turning for her, running here to see her. "Is- is there something you need from me?" Inoue tried her best to push her bust out towards him, flutter her lashes at him, and gave him her best gold medal smile.

Ichigo didn't even bother to try and ignore her attempts and snarled, "I need the key to room 1852, now!" Guilt didn't even set in from the way he scared her, and almost made her cry from the force of his voice.

Nervously she looked behind the desk and held out the key to the room, her imagination kicked in and she wondered if Ichigo was going to take her to this room and make wild passionate love to her. With that in her head she grinned at him brightly, "Here you go…Kurosaki-kun." She made her voice more loving when she said his name as she expected him to take her with him. Drag her by her wrist before slamming her against the elevator, and kissing her passionately then rush her into a room to have sex.

Instead, he grabbed the key in her hands and sprinted away, leaving her behind. Confused, she looked at him as he ran away and little by little brought her head to the lobby's computer. Inoue checked on the main computer guest list, and searched who was staying inside the room he asked the key for. To her astonishment, it was the woman from earlier, Miss. Kuchiki Rukia. Dazedly she wondered what Ichigo was doing with that woman. Something like rage mixed with sorrow built itself in the pit of her stomach.

Intense questions flooded her mind as she quivered in her seat in suspense. "_Is this woman more beautiful than me? Is she bubblier than me? Does she have a bigger chest than me? Was she that American blond that I saw leaving him Ishida with earlier?_" It took her forty minutes before she decided to also head up, and see who exactly this, Kuchiki Rukia was.

~o~o~o~

Ichigo had a tight hold on Rukia's hotel key as he sprinted up the emergency stairs, refusing to use the elevator when he knew his natural lupine speed was quicker. Visions of her dead on the floor arise to plague him, the thought of him only being seconds late haunted him. With every step he became more frantic, his body tightened to gain more speed, and his mind was a blur.

Distantly he tried to cheer himself up by saying that Rukia was alright, she was fine and dandy. That she was not dead but alive, that one day he would put a real pleasant smile on her face, and one day he would see all the sorrow in her eyes disappear completely. One day he would ultimately claim her as his.

Finally on the twentieth floor, Ichigo ran to her hotel room and slammed against the door. Trying to calm himself down, he knocked hard against the wooden door, "Rukia!" He tried to wait for an answer, tried to be patient, but in reality, he was never a patient man. He slammed the key inside the key hole of her door and twisted the knob to enter. However he couldn't when he saw that she also had other locks intact.

Ichigo had never seen a chain lock in any hotel room in _Supra Natura_. He grew up in these very halls, and knew every inch of this hotel. A low pitch grunt and his hotheaded instinct got the better of him. Before he could stop himself, Ichigo used his strength and knocked down her door. Splinters flew and a loud snap echoed as he stepped in.

"Rukia!" Looking around her room he saw nothing amiss, nevertheless, the pure silence in the room was deafening. Amber eyes searched through the living room while his whole body began to tremble in slight panic. Winter roses, orchids, and the smell of winter consumed his senses after he "searched" the living room, kitchen, extra restroom, and balcony for her. Looking up, he finally noticed the thick, white, heavy fog layer of vapor mist that clung to the ceiling of the suite. With a giant whiff he smelled her, and she was behind him. "Ruk-"

"Enough with the yelling, yes? It would also be smarter if you looked for me right away in the bedroom or main bathroom instead of causing a huge mess." Rukia eyes scanned the room behind him, and winced. "Colossal mess," she murmured.

Standing at the door way to the other section of the suite was the one person he was desperately searching for, and she looked fine. "Rukia…um" He sputtered out, not even half of what she said earlier had entered in his ears. He just couldn't pay attention to her since she was standing in front of him only in a towel. A small, short, and fluffy white towel. She didn't notice or care about her indecent appearance, she casually leaned against the door frame with a pouted frown.

The tiny towel covered only the lower half of her supple, creamy breasts and just barely covered her modesty. Long black strands of soaked hair were clinging to her skin. Beads of water slid down her lithe form as a small puddle formed under her feet. Lips were blood red, eyes a deep hazy blue surrounded by wet, inky lashes. Her skin was as pale as the moon with a crème blend to it. He could always tell she had slender curves from the way she dressed; but, now with her in that towel. He saw almost every curve on her petite frame perfectly, like the night he met her. Her waist went in deeper than he expected and he gulped when he saw how plump her behind was when she turned slightly. Her breasts were as mouth-watering as the first time he laid eyes on them and her legs, now uncovered, were long and looked very smooth.

Rukia silently shifted her left arm behind her back and placed the knife she had in her hand onto the table that led towards her bedroom, away from his sight. She glared and walked closer to him – paying no attention to the fact that she was only wearing a towel. He was a bundle of nerves, palms sweating, ready to jump on her bones-lupine. "You know, normally people would knock on the door and wait for thirty seconds before knocking again. Then, if no one answers…you leave." With a huff she sent a taunting winged eyebrow up, and had her hands on her hips. "It's proper etiquette."

His cheeks bore a tint of red when he looked away from her scandalous form and matched her glare. "That's rich coming from the woman who banished me and didn't want my help when she was suffocating to death in front of me!" Even yelling at her didn't stop the sensation in his pants. When she placed her feet slightly apart, breasts rising and falling in agitation, he felt his member pulse in response.

"I told you I was alright. This isn't the first time this has happened to me."

"Alright? It wasn't 'alright' Rukia!" He charged towards her and tried to get a grip on her arm, but she skillfully moved away. "I was worried Rukia!"

"I told you not to." Even from the anger that glowed in her eyes, she still managed to keep her voice calm. "It's your own fault for thinking too much."

"Damn witch, I don't care what you say I will always worry about you!" Ichigo moved towards her again, but this time he didn't try to grab her. This time he looked down at her with relief, "You're okay, now…right?"

Rukia body was tense as she waited for the pounce, yet he did nothing and asked her if she was fine. While looking straight into her eyes, she felt a soothing sense of tension being released from her body. "Yeah…I told you I was fine, I'm used to this, Ichigo. Nothing bad is ever going to happen to me."

Assuming he was going to have a smartass retort to throw at her face, all she got was a sigh, "No matter what you say," He repeated his earlier words, "I will always worry about you." The way he looked at her, with such kind eyes, was odd. It made her feel…warm. "Next time, just let me help you."

Silence covered them like a cozy blanket, and Rukia met his stare quietly. "Fine," Was all she said as she turned away from him, and walked back to her bedroom. "Wait for me."

"Eh, why?"

Rolling her eyes, she pivoted and glared at him, "Well, first of all, I would like to change into something more suitable, since the only time you actually looked me in the eyes was when we were arguing." Ichigo scowled to hide the burning blush that crawled onto his face as she continued, "When we weren't arguing, you were being a pervert and looking at 'other' places you shouldn't be looking at." Rukia smirked when he averted his eyes elsewhere. "Secondly, you broke down my door, and I wouldn't want someone walking in here while I'm changing. So, you're going to be a good watchdog and stay out here until I come back. Lastly, you are going to call your father and ask him if he can get me another room; as well as someone that won't give my room key to anyone. How exactly did you get my room key?"

"I…asked for it."

Shaking her head she sighed, "I am the daughter of an important man, a current member of the Councilors of Others, and doing some important research for them. You're telling me you just 'asked' for my room key?" Bluntly, Ichigo nodded his head and she sarcastically said, "Dear God, someone wants me dead."

She started to turn around to leave, her back bear to his scorching glaze. Repeatedly he told himself to calm down, his mouth felt dry when he saw the smooth panels of her back covered in droplets of water. "Rukia, do you still want to go out and get something to eat?" He watched as trickles of water combined, and created a path down her back.

She looked at him, over her shoulder with her hazy eyes and nod. "Hm, sure, just wait for me." Her voice was teasing and smooth, the corner of her mouth curved up in a cunning way, and there was that same look of challenge he saw in her eyes when they were on the roof. Strands of hair that were fasten against her back kept on releasing drops of water. There was a drop, another drop, and another. His palms were sweating and itching; his pants grew tighter and began to throb as he slipped further into oblivion.

As she walked away from him, he was about to grab her, lick and bite her, and howl as he finally sheathed himself deep inside of her. God, he was so close to doing it. The wolf inside of him saw the chance that fate was giving him and only God knew that he wanted to take it. The only thing keeping her delectable body from him was that piece of fabric which he easily he rip off. Hr was also already half naked, so it could all work out.

Then, he saw it. A black form of mist surrounded her slim form. She was oblivious of the danger hanging over her and his lips pulled back in a threatening, silent snarl. The black mist became more like fog, thicker in color and denser, as if it wanted to engulf her completely. The energy coming off of it reeked of death-a cold, distant, and isolated form of energy. Ichigo felt his body tense up, the nails on his hands grew into sharp deadly tools. The bigger the fog got, the heavier it got, the less he could feel her presence – the less he could sense her.

He barked her name anxiously, and she stopped and tilted her head towards him, "Yes?" With that word, that simple word, the black death fog dissolved, and left her.

"Never mind..." She looked at him strangely. "I said never mind, go and get ready. I'm starving." Saying nothing more she left again, and once her figure was gone from his sight, he dropped on to one of the couches. The beating of his heart decreased, the claws he formed shrank back to normal, but his body was still tense. Gritting his teeth he decided to head over to Urahara's tomorrow and ask what was that black fog hanging over Rukia was.

For whatever it was, he genuinely wanted to kick its ass. The way it moved over her body aggravated him, and at the same time, he felt fear. The same fear he felt when she was gasping for air earlier. It made him feel helpless, like he couldn't help her; she was too far away from him.

To get rid of his negative thoughts, his eyes wandered around the room and the broken door. Wincing slightly when he realized how 'open' he made her room, and how anyone could walk in. The wood chippings of the door were thrown all over the floor, big chucks and little ones. Sighing, he heard Rukia moving around, getting ready for their outing…which was like a date.

He was going out with Rukia on a somewhat date, but a date nevertheless.

The thought of it sank into him, it wrapped around him softly and steadily but it was still nerve-racking. A big smile made its way onto his lips, his foot tapped against the floor in an impatient movement. His eyes started to light up in excitement, when he thought how their 'semi-date' might turn out. The only thing he could think of involved him, her, and a bed. He felt himself harden at the thought.

"Wow, there's that creepy smile again."

Blushing hard as he was yanked forcefully from his thoughts of Rukia, he could do little more than grunt at her, "Took you long enough, Rukia." How could he not notice her standing in front of him? Standing up straight with a cool grin on her face, she held out her gloved hand towards him.

"Come on, I'm hungry." Staring at her outstretched hand, he realized that she always had gloves on. Skimming from her hand, his eyes trailed up to her face. From the revealing towel, she 'upgraded' to a thin, wool, charcoal dress that stopped just above her knees. The deep V-neck and small necklace accentuated her breasts beautifully while a simple red coat flowed gracefully around her small body. Dark stockings covered her sinful legs and a pair of flats completed the ensemble. All in all, he thought she looked fucking delicious.

"It's supposed to be the other way around." He closed his hands around her small ones and stood up.

"What is?" She looked at her bag and decided not to bring it.

"As the man, I am supposed to help you up."

"Well aren't you sexist."

"I didn't mean it like that!"

"You may have not intended to, but it sounded like that."

They continued their bantering until they were outside of the room. They never noticed the pair of brown eyes staring at them. "Um…Kurosaki-kun?" The fighting pair stopped and turned towards the timid voice.

"Ah, Inoue, how can I help you?" Inoue's brown eyes shift from Ichigo's form onto the smaller one next to him. She stiffened a gasp at how graceful this woman was. This woman must be Kuchiki Rukia. Inoue assumed she was beautiful but never in her own imagination had she thought she was this gorgeous. Inoue had heard from other hotel employees that Kuchiki Rukia was a beauty. She stood with poise and elegance, head held up high, eyes that were a deep cool blue, no, a haunting blue that pierced through her soul and Inoue felt she was reading her mind.

"I, um, wanted to know if everything was alright. I mean from the way you were…all panicking and, um, I was worried!" Inoue held her hands near her chest, and made weird gestures with her hands as she badly tried to keep her glaze from the woman standing next to her _beta_.

"Ah, sorry about that Inoue." Ichigo looked away from her and rubbed his head. "I didn't mean for you to worry about anything."

"Inoue," Rukia stared right into her eyes, feeling bad when the taller woman started to squirm. "May I ask for another room?"

"Oh my! What happened?" The auburn haired woman looked beyond the pair and saw the broken door lying pitifully on the floor.

"The 'Big Bad Wolf' here broke it down." Inoue gasped, holding her hands to her mouth as she stared at Ichigo. "So can I have another room?" Rukia asked again.

"I mean of course you can." Inoue was burning with the curiosity as to why Ichigo broke the door down, but didn't bother to ask.

"And can I ask for another favor?" Not waiting for Inoue to answer her she said, "Next time could you not give my room key to anyone?" Ichigo felt bad for Inoue as she shrank in size from Rukia's cold glazes. "I truly do not wish to die easily and pathetically." With a smile, she bowed, "Thank you for your kindness, Inoue, and if you will excuse us." Rukia walked away from the brown eyed woman.

"Sorry for the trouble!" Ichigo yelled behind his shoulder and waved to her as he caught up to Rukia's departing form.

Leaving her alone again, Inoue stood still. Her eyes lowered to the ground, and her hands balled up in fist. This feeling of jealously, she never felt it before to such a level. Inoue never knew she could feel like this. The way Ichigo stood next to Rukia like that. It made her sick that he was so close to her. He was even calling that woman by her first name. How could a woman that hadn't even been here for one month do something she's been trying to do for years? "How did she…?" Inoue whispered harshly against her lips, "How did she make those beautiful eyes of his light up with life again?"

~o~o~o~

"We should start your training soon." The loud clanks of silverware roamed across the Italian restaurant, men and woman dressed in black waiter clients, and lights were dim a tad to set the 'mood'. Rukia resisted the urge to play with her half eaten pasta, and hummed a small tune that went along with the music of the violins and pianos that the musicians were playing. Rukia gave a tiny grin from the way both her and Ichigo looked out of place, well mostly Ichigo. They were the only ones that weren't actually dressed formally, Ichigo in his tattered grey suit and her in her everyday get-up.

"Training?" Ichigo didn't care about the looks they were getting. He delightfully enjoyed the food, and little Miss Rukia here who didn't mind his messy eating. Those are the only reasons why he wasn't snarling on the on-lookers.

"Yes training, just because you may have gotten your gun and know how to use it. Does not mean you know how to control the energy you can form in it." Rukia met his glaze silently; twirling her fork in her pasta with the help of her spoon, she brought the noodles up to her lips.

Whipping his mouth clean from the red Italian sauce, he leaned back onto the chair, "Do I have to do one of those, 'standing under the waterfall' things?"

"Of course not," Rukia does the same as Ichigo, but she gently wiped her mouth clean, "Hm, but 'training' is not the right word. I can't truly train you as to how to control your energy and its pressure. It's just something that you have to learn by yourself, like a mother bird pushing their offspring from the nest."

"That doesn't sound hard."

"It's not, as long as you know how to concentrate. Then, it should be extremely easy." She continued to eat her meal while Ichigo – on the other hand – ordered his fourth serving. As she ate, Rukia noticed Ichigo pulling out a cigarette from his breast pocket. With interest she watched him as he placed the cigarette between his lips, his left hand pulled out a lighter from his pocket. He was about to bring it close to the end of the cigarette with his right hand covering it. The tip glowed a fierce red and climbed towards Ichigo lips, leaving ashes behind. He inhaled it slowly, almost savoring the feeling of it. Rukia swallowed hard as she thought of how sexy he looked right now, "I never saw you as a smoking type."

Ichigo removed the cigarette from his mouth and let out a long cloud of gray mist that danced in the air before disappearing, leaving the distant smell of smoke behind. "Does it bother you?"

Chuckling slightly she shakes her head, "I have asthma, remember?"

He shrugged and smirked, "And you're a nymph, I'm not stupid, Rukia."

"And here I was hoping that you were." Rukia remembered how shocking it was when her Others doctor told her she had human asthma, but to an extent. Whatever was in the air never brought out her asthma, it was mostly harsh activities or when her lungs were acting up.

Her lungs were weak, so dreadfully weak that her doctor forced her to stay at the hospital for a week. Her father was amazed and so were the rest of the Kuchiki family members. They attacked her, and complained to her father how weak she was. How unfit she was to be an heir to the Kuchiki's corporation.

She was a powerful witch, she knew that. However, she had a weak body, ever since she was young. Rukia could come up with many examples as how sick she could get: weak lungs, weak immune system, and a weak heart. She had created and conjured up many potions that can heal anything, but her.

"No, I just never pictured you as a smoking type, that's all. But now that I think about it, it suits you." She said, "And there is a little something on your cheek." Rukia smirked when he rubbed that spot off his cheek. "There, now you look somewhat attractive."

Ichigo painfully tried to look causal and to some extent cool. He leaned back onto his chair, holding his cigarette in his left hand as he ran his right through his hair. There was a slight pink touch of a blush covering the top of his cheeks. "Sounds like you're complementing me." He said in a stern tone to cover his bashfulness caused by Rukia's words.

Looking back at him, she felt something flutter inside of her. "I am. I do not say things without meaning behind them when I am talking about people or about a serious matter."

"So, you're calling me handsome?" Ichigo gave her a smirk that she realized was his boyish charm coming to play.

"You could say that, but I remember I said 'somewhat' attractive. Now if you shaved and got rid of your stubble, fix your suit as well. Then, maybe, I would call you handsome, Ichigo." She said and frowned when she noticed her heart that was fluttering. She actually thought he would look really handsome, even though she'd never tell _him_ that. Rukia also Scolded herself for how easily she was moved by him and how quickly she lost her cold composure.

Ichigo felt a bubbling pride when she complemented him; it made him feel as if he was an overly hormonal teenager again. He admitted freely to himself that he felt manly and macho. "Che, at least you're not denying the fact that I am handsome."

"Oh Dear, oh my, I can't breathe because of your ego, Ichigo." Rukia retorted with an expressionless face as she went back to eating her food.

Ichigo moved his eyes towards Rukia once he was sure that she wasn't looking at him anymore. Even if he knew it wasn't good manners, he still placed his elbow upon the table with his palm cradling the bottom of his chin as he stared at Rukia. His other hand held his cigarette, and brought it towards his lips. He took a long drag and noticed how extremely_ mannerly_ this woman was. She took her time twirling her pasta – using both fork and spoon – before she placed it in her mouth, and chewed on it slowly. She would then wipe her mouth clean – even if there was nothing on it – and took a small sip of her drink. The way she ate gave the impression that she wasn't hungry at all.

Scowling he took his last drag of his cigarette and put it out, "Next time I'll take you to a burger joint."

Rukia blinked a couple of times and stared at him a bit sternly, "A burger joint?"

Sighing as a waiter placed down his fourth serving, he glared at her, "Yeah, the way you eat bores me, and don't say that as if you have never even eaten fast food before."

"I haven't."

Stopping mid bite, Ichigo set down his large meaty steak and shook his head, "You never ate at a fast food restaurant before?"

Not knowing why she felt a bit like a child being caught doing something bad, Rukia frowned at him. "Unless you count the food you brought me then no. I have never eaten at a fast food…joint." Rukia tried to continue to eat her meal, ignoring the disbelief look on Ichigo's face but couldn't.

"Dear God, have you been living in an expensive cave all your life?" Through half-lid eyes he asked, "Have you ever been to a normal fair?"

"Does Disney count?" Opting out of finishing her meal, she leaned back. With a smirk he shook his head, "Then no, I have never been to a fair."

"Che, then I'll take you to one, alright? The New Years' festival should be starting soon anyways." He received no answer from her, not that he really was expecting one. "Hey Rukia –"

"Ask for the tab." Rukia demanded, and when she met his eyes and Ichigo could see the conflict in them. He did as he was told, ordered the tab and fought with Rukia about who was going to pay before he finally paid. Finally leaving the restaurant, Ichigo walked next to Rukia as she led them to the park. "Did you sense it?" She finally asked.

Looking at her perplexed, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Sense what?"

"Then lesson number one, sense the hollow." Ichigo stood in front of her with a stunned expression, not understanding what she meant about 'sensing' the hollow.

"What do – Rukia?" He saw Rukia winced in pain, biting the corner of her lip, but her eyes never broke its connection to his.

"Do you sense it?" She insisted again, her voice harsh.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Rukia, and dammit you better be alright!" He barked, and felt dread covering him when he saw Rukia wincing slightly. "Rukia, if you're sick tell –"

"Open your mind, and feel it Ichigo." This time she sneered out through clench teeth, "Feel it, feel the aura." She stood rigid and he noticed that she was back to her cold self again. The look in her eyes, they were a void.

"Damn it! I don't know..." A strong pulse of power moved through him. A pulse came from the air, it was a pulse, and it was sickening. It came back, then again before it got a steady rhythm.

"That is a signal when a hollow is present; the stronger the feeling is, the stronger the hollow is." Almost like a teacher, she lifted her finger near her face, "There are ten classes of hollows. Class ten is the lowest while one is being the highest. But no matter what class your hollow is, never underestimate them." Slowly, she brought both her hands in front of her, rubbed them together and opened them to reveal her wand. It was snowing again, covering both of them. Her eyes sharpened as her fighting instincts surfaced, "Now try to pinpoint the hollow, feel the pulse and connect it with your gun."

"What! How the fuck do I do that?" Ichigo kept his eyes open for any unknown ambushing, having his lupine sense to back him up just in case. He freed his gun from its holster, the metal cool and snug against the palm of his hand.

"By concentrating, of course." The way she said that sounds as if she was at ease, her body was relaxed but she looked impatient as she closed her eyes. "If you don't manipulate your energy in your gun, when you fire it'll go through the hollow – and you may lose your life in the process." Ichigo closed his eyes as well, shutting them tight as he tried to concentrate. His scowl deepened and his hands closed around his gun. From the way he was positioned, Rukia thought he looked like a wounded puppy which made her feel a bit sorry for him.

The pulsing feeling in his chest was still there. He opened his eyes to see that Rukia had not moved one bit. The snow kept falling from the sky, and she stood out with her warm colored clothing, her cheeks and tip of her nose were a tad red from the cold. "Rukia…how do I…?"

She was whispering something to herself before she answered, "It should come naturally by the –" A loud grunt came from Ichigo and a loud gasp from Rukia as she felt Ichigo's energy coming to life again. It swept across her then pushed into his gun. He twisted around and pointed to an empty area. Rukia opened her mouth to ask what he was doing; that was when the hollow appeared and charged at full speed towards him.

It happened quite quickly. One moment he was asking Rukia what he should do, the next moment he had sensed the hollow coming from his right. Then, a massive flood of power escaped him and was absorbed into his weapon. He pointed and waited, then shot at the creature that appeared in front of him. Sparks emerged from the impact of his bullet on the creature. From the corner of his eyes he saw Rukia being blown back from the force of the attack; her eyes widened from the sudden shock, and her mouth was wired shut from what looked like pain.

His bullet entered the hollow's chest, but it kept moving towards him. Ichigo jumped back when a claw crashed down. A couple of feet away from the hollow, he glared at it. At first he expected that all hollows would appear the same. He expected it to look like the last one, big like a bull, a creature from hell. Instead this one is much slimmer than the first one. This hollow had a long mask on its face. When it yelled in battle fury, it sounded like a pig choking. They smelled the same but it seemed to be less powerful than the first one he saw all those nights ago.

From a distance, Ichigo saw Rukia falling down to her knees as she fisted her hands on her wool dress. Then, she yelled at him to shot the mask of the hollow to purify it. Listening to her, he went in for the kill, avoided another blow that could have sliced him open, and positioned himself to shoot.

The cool metal in his hand drew energy from him, and the gentle pull of the trigger sent off another bullet. When he shot at the black mass of flesh, he didn't hear the normal sound of a gun going off. Instead it was quiet, it was a slice of air becoming undone, and the crack of bone when it landed its mark. It sliced through the mask, swift and clean, and broke in two. The hollow made a pitiful noise of defeat and evaporated in front of him.

Rukia watched as he took down the class ten hollow with ease, relief left her and she dared not question why. Her legs shook as she tried to get up and go to Ichigo. She wasn't surprised when he fell to the ground unconscious. It was normal to pass out when you first release your energy. First times were always the hardest since the body wasn't use to the spiritual energy being drained and controlled. Swaying lightly, she shook her head and took small steps forward.

The stockings she had on now had holes on her knees from when she fell, and her coat felt heavier than usual. As she continued to walk forward she heard the rustling of feet against the snow covered ground. Stopping, she listened as the noise got louder and she turned around to meet the gaze of Urahara himself.

Rukia raised her eyebrow at him, questioned him as to why he was here. The man tilted his hat back, and allowed both of his eyes to appear. He moved his glaze from her form to Ichigo's. "How long have you been there?" She demanded.

Urahara gave a sly grin, "I see you took the price," Ignoring her question with his own. However, the statement obviously did not strike a single nerve on Rukia's face. She kept herself stoic, her eyes narrowed slightly, her lips were an impassive frown. "You can't fool me Kuchiki-san, with every release of energy combined with the water from the heavens. A person must give a price to which equals half of one's soul." The blond haired man moved towards Ichigo and Rukia silently went ahead. She met Ichigo's fallen form first, and brushed some snow off of his face.

"Urahara," The blond hair man looked at her once he was next to Ichigo as well. "How do you know me?"

The question appeared silly to him, did he not met her earlier this day? Perhaps she already forgotten? "What do you mean, Kuchiki-san?"

"That is what I mean," She didn't dare move from her cold façade, "I never actually introduced myself properly to you, yet you know my name."

She must have struck a nerve when the man froze, his eyes widened before he hid them behind his hat, "I heard from Isshin, that's all."

She examined him, looked at him as he avoided looking at her in the eye. With a weary sigh she said, "I don't believe you."

The bare statement really stunned him, he knew that she wouldn't buy it, but he at least thought she wouldn't have said anything. She didn't hide her suspicions either. She stated them clearly. "Ara, Kuchiki-san, you are a very intimating woman!" Grinning at her hugely he bent down and propped the comatose Ichigo on his shoulder, "I'll take Ichigo-kun home, so you don't need to worry your pretty little head about it!"

Urahara began to walk away, leaving Rukia behind. "Don't think you can dismiss this conversation, Urahara-san, I am not a woman who likes to be fooled around with." Like him, she turned to walk back to hotel, and as she left she heard the crunching of Urahara feet stop.

"Why did you do it, Kuchiki-san?"

She stopped as well but didn't turn towards him like he did. "I don't know what you're talking about? Can you be a bit more specific?"

"Why did you pay the price?" His voice lost its playfulness, "Why take it? As a wielder of a blessed item you – like me – are already half-dead, so why?" He demanded, "Why did you choose to take away the burden upon his shoulders, and become fully dead?"

The volume of his voice was strong and fierce. She played with the possible answers she could have given him, but how could she when she didn't know it herself? Not brothering to turn around she kept on walking, "I don't have to explain myself to you." She said loud and clear, "So we'll finish our discussion at a later time."

She kept walking without a second thought of what she said to Urahara. Most of her thought lies with Ichigo anyway. She wondered if he would be alright later on when he wakes up. Would he be angry towards her if Urahara mentioned what she done? When she was finally in front of the hotel entrance, she asked herself silently, "Why did I pay the price?"

~o~o~o~

Urahara brought Ichigo to his shop instead to his home, it was just too much energy to drag Ichigo's fat ass all the way to his home when the shop was much closer. Carefully, he dropped his godchild's body on the low mattress, and he rubbed his shoulder and mumbled something about him losing weight. Urahara went to the back room where Ichigo and Rukia were sitting down earlier, and took off his hat as he sighed loudly, "You could have helped me with your son's body, Isshin. He was really heavy. Almost broke my back, too."

The alpha wolf grinned wildly, "Why? You always complain how you don't spend enough time with him, and now you did!" Isshin took another swing at his tea as Tessai arrived with Urahara's tea, "So, what do you think about my future daughter-in-law, hm?"

Tasting his tea Urahara smirked at the thought, "I think she's a great match for our little Ichigo-kun. She's very charming, quite beautiful as well. Just like her mother."

A humble tone settled between them, both having the same thoughts of future children from the new young soon-to-be couple. They both said nothing and drank their tea contently, but a sudden thought crossed Isshin's mind. Looking back at his ex-_beta_ sternly, he studied him for a moment, "So what do you think of her?" He asked again.

Urahara set his cup on the table and looked serious as well, "She's not going to live long, especially after paying Ichigo's price for awakening his energy."

"She paid his price!?" Isshin asked with a shock face, almost choked on his drink.

"Ah, she did." Urahara answered as he thought over of what he was going to say, he tried to make it sound as clear as it sounded in his head. "I'll give her less than five years, maybe three. Her body is weak, extremely weak. She shouldn't even be alive; Death was supposed to take her to heaven the moment she was born. The only thing keeping her alive at the moment is the energy from the 'glass orb' that's resting inside of her soul."

Isshin shifted his eyes to the room where Ichigo was sleeping in. "Is there a way to get her out of this predicament? I don't want my boy losing his mate before even getting her."

"If we remove it from inside of her, she'll die. The mere fact that she has it inside her is making her a threat to God. All of her illnesses, all of her hardships she faces is her punishment. However, I did read in a book once that you can be set free from the God's wrath, but it's been ten years since I last read it and I don't know where it's at."

"What about Ichigo?" The painful memories of his wife's death passed through him, "Do you think Ichigo can save her?"

"Ichigo… is a special young wolf; when he set his mind on something. He's not the type to give up, so yes. I think he can save her, but only time can tell." The middle age men stayed quiet, thinking how their own mistakes had affected their loved ones.

"He'll save her," The alpha wolf said, "I know my boy; he won't give up on her."

In the room where Ichigo laid half asleep, he tossed and turned on the lumpy mattress. His dreams were plagued with his black hair nymph. He dreamt of saving her from villains, them just spending time together under the stars, and some other explicit stuff that would make his Father proud. With a loud yawn he whispered his mate's name with smile.

* * *

_**A/N:**_

_**So, I find this chapter not that exciting, however, I can say that I'm very excited about the next chapter. It's has more of a paranormal feel to it, and I also noticed that in almost every chapter I write, Ichigo is always looking for Rukia…I'm going to change that pattern after the next chapter. D **_

_**Thanks for all the support, please review! ^^**_


	8. Chapter 7

_**A/n: Tada, here is chapter 7 which I think came out nicely if I don't say so myself. **_

_**I didn't plan for this certain "event" to happen but it did, and I think many are wondering when the lemons are coming and sorry to say. There're not coming until three-five-ish chapters from now.**_

_**I wish to take my time with this fic, and write everything as perfectly vivid as I can, and since I only update once a month, I want it to be lengthy and full of detail for you all.**_

_**I want to thank all my reviewers and my beta-ers for all the help they have given me. I would be lost without them and you - my readers.**_

_**Please enjoy, and damn, that's a lot of reviews I have...they make me happy and proud. ^^**_

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_**Chapter 7**_

_**Reason**_

There is a reason behind every single action a person makes; be it good or bad. Helping someone cross the street, robbing a bank, killing someone to save another; there are reasons for it all. A person's reasons usually makes sense only to themselves, even if they do not know why it does.

Not knowing why others make seemingly nonsensical choices leaves us with only a single recourse: we must make the best of what we are given.

Decisions are made based on one's own perceptions. The environment they grew up in and the influences that they are given help to form their opinions. It gives a person their unique personality, their thoughts, and their reasons of action.

_Reason is man's tool of understanding. It is the method of identifying entities through one's senses. Through one's logic._

When I was a kid, I was always got into trouble. It wasn't new to my parents, they were used to having someone coming to them and complain how much of a brat I was. But there was this one time, days after I turned ten, my dad took my favorite toy away from me and disassembled it.

That toy was a red truck that I cared for very much. It made noises whenever I pressed one of the side buttons, and lit up when I pressed the other. There were nails, pieces of plastic and other random items of technology lying before me in a complete mess of doohickeys. He told me to fix my toy.

I was only ten, stupid and young, but I damnit, I wanted my truck back, so I did my best to fix it. And like many would predict, I couldn't fix it. I tried to, but it was a failure. My dad came back and asked me, "Why do you think I did that to your truck, Ichigo?" I didn't know why and he ruffled my hair. "You will soon know why." He said and began to put my toy back together.

_Reason is the process of thinking. Its fundamental attribute is clarity. Another set of eyes. _

Closing my eyes, I saw those hidden feelings that wanted to emerge from the bottom of my memory pool that lies miles beneath the cold floor of my heart. I remembered events in my life that I once forgotten for they were small details I never paid any attention to, and now, years later, they meant so much more than they ever had before. The sound of books after books being slammed on my desk, and how confident my father looked when he told me to read and paraphrase these books in my own words.

I did what he told me to do. It took me nearly the whole day to do so, but I did it because he asked me to and because I wanted to please him. I would glance over at the clock, timing myself. My father recently had been giving me a time limit to when I should be finish with an assignment. He came back a couple of hours later and smiled when he saw I was done. "Good job, Rukia. Tomorrow I'll have some John Locke and Thomas Hobbes for you to compare and contrast." He walked away with my assignments in his hand, not looking about at my jaded face.

It was then I wondered if he even realized that it was my birthday today. I turned ten that day. I will never forget that moment, for it was then that I realized there was only one way to gain my father's approved attention.

_Reason is the method of thinking in an organized, clear way to achieve knowledge and understanding. It is systematic and purposeful._

I am standing here before you all. I am here standing to give my reasons for the actions I have committed. I am standing here to say that there is nothing I can do.

I am not God.

Not even a saint or a priest.

I have sinned, and my reasons for it, you shall never know.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Don't you believe it's strange to be at the beach during winter?" Ishida came up to Rukia. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, a solemn look in his eyes as he tried to look at what she was staring at. Straight ahead of her, there was nothing but miles of ocean with its clashing tides and whimsical chimes of the sea, and yet she looked entrance by the sight of it.

"Perhaps, but I always enjoyed being odd. I believe it makes me more…fascinating, no?" She mumbled in the bending wind and closed her eyes to the sinking sun, "Anyways, it does not matter. I am here only to listen."

"Listen?" Ishida repeated as he stepped closer towards Rukia. Standing at the edge of the cliff was never Ishida's cup of tea. The thought of falling into the water had always disturbed him since he was a young boy. Almost anything that involved heights made him nervous. He hated having those nervous "I'm going to die" butterflies in his stomach, but Rukia, on the other hand, loved heights. She enjoyed being on top of almost anything, having her hair caressed by invisible fingers and her body lifted up in a world beyond the immovable heartbeats that roamed the earth.

Unfortunately for him, it was his job to keep her safe, to which means that he had to follow her almost anywhere.

"Yes, can you not hear it?" Rukia asked with a deep breath following after. "Listen and you will hear nature's voice whispering to you, you should be able to do it, you are an elf after all–One of Mother Nature's precious children."

Despite being unwilling at first, Ishida complied and copied what she was doing. He faced the ocean with its salty air entering his lungs and the setting sun provided no more than an ounce of warmth. The wind was picking up and ever so slowly, he began to feel lighter as he tried to listen. When was the last time he actually listened to earth? It brought him back to his younger days in Germany, when he used to live with his grandfather. Running in the woods with his pointed ears out in the open, unafraid of people staring, pointing, or making fun of him.

When he finally started to hear it, he found that the earth's voice was as soft as a voice of a caring mother. He heard it all: the faint murmur of her tone, the sounds of the earth moving and shifting, the scurrying sounds of the living souls that walk upon her grounds. As relaxing as it was, the more he became attuned to the earth, the more he noticed her discord.

A cry–the cry of a child experiencing great pain and anguish–got louder and louder. The cry turned into that of a woman and it tore at him; caused his heart to beat rapidly against his chest as sweat bled from his pores.

She was in pain.

Snapping his eyes open, he tried to blink the sounds away as Rukia stared at him. Her eyes were cold without a speck of panic in them. "Why is the earth weeping?" She asked him with a frown on her face. Ishida opened his mouth to answer, but how could he answer when he did not know the answer to that himself?

Rukia shook her head at him and walked forward, away from the tides that were crashing into the cliff and from the setting sun. She didn't dare to look at him in the eyes as she tugged on his sleeve, "Come on, I am starving and you promised me food."

Rukia released her hold on him and went on ahead. She walked down the slope of the cliff with ease as Ishida stood motionless where she left him. He stared at the back of her head silently before taking another look behind him. He looked once more towards the living, breathing ocean that danced wildly in the cold December air. The sun was descending and the blue sky faded into black, the wind got even colder. He fixed his glasses, pushing them to the bridge of his nose, and walked down the cliff.

Whenever he was with Rukia, there were always two emotions that would pass through him: amazement and fear. When he first met Rukia, he discovered that there was a certain air that surrounded her. She looked like a normal nymph–light skinned and soft with profound details like her blue eyes and black hair; however she was a noble through and through. She was born poised and elegant, but over the course of her short life, Rukia diligently formed a notable mask of impassivity.

That was what amazed him every time he saw her. She was a lady of the household Kuchiki, still a child and yet matured beyond belief. However, as amazing as she was, it was her startling moments of insight that caused fear to rise within him. When she would stare into nothing one moment and then possess the entirety of your thought processes in the next; when she would show or tell you something that you thought you were hiding or thoughts that plagued your mind constantly. Paradoxical examples, rhetorical questions, unexpressed thoughts, and other mind-boggling realities she produced were what continued to daunt his mind and terrified him.

Her viewpoints and powers that she possessed made him uneasy. To know that someone could invade you in such a personal way, calmly and stealthily, was intimidating.

"Ishida, let us get to it. I have no money and have not eaten anything since this afternoon." She said with an impatient glance in his direction. "Please? I do not think I can live a moment longer without something resting in my stomach."

Ishida nodded, pushed his glasses further up on his nose than before and began walking faster. In the back of his mind was the knowledge that this girl, still in her teen years, had this much influence and control over the wheel of life.

Such things that should have been reserved only for God.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Snow drifted down on the walking citizens of Kagamino City, while people walked purposefully toward their own, predetermined destinations. Every single one of them would shift to avoid contact as much as possible with the other denizens of the streets. Never caring if the person they just passed or accidentally bumped into might die within the next minute.

Rukia sat inside a café painted with multiple shades of brown and yellow with Ishida, Momo, and Rangiku. Both girls were engaged in a conversation about fashion as Ishida slyly used a newspaper to cover up his interest in their conversation. Rukia watched them for a moment before she moved from observing them to the other people in the café.

There was a couple in the far right having an argument, a group of female teens laughing to themselves, and an old man drinking his coffee with a bittersweet smile on his face. Rukia began to idly sketch them on the napkin on her left using the pen Rangiku carelessly took from the café's counter.

Yawning slightly, Rukia saw that the sun was gone and the sky was painted in a deep purple as one last warning to the living souls still roaming the streets that night was setting in. The hot chocolate and pecan pie she just finished warmed her up and made her stomach hum happily.

"It's already seven?" Rangiku huffed in annoyance.

Ishida smirked slightly as he took a sip from his coffee. "Of course it is, Rangiku-san, we did spent most of the day at the mall and the beach. You may recall the one that was twenty miles east that you made me drive to? Time simply flew by while you were having too much fun to notice."

"Time always flies by for her," Momo giggled, "Anyways we came here because we wanted to see the winter fireworks. Also it's nice to have Rukia with us for the whole day! She's been working way too much." She scolded and took another bite of her large sugar cookie.

Rukia tried to respond with some sort of sincere comment, but Rangiku hugged her and talked over her. "How I miss having Rukia all for myself!" She cried fake tears before she barked out "Especially after that wolf-cop had been hogging you all up since the moment you arrived." Rukia didn't break her façade of calmness as Rangiku teased her about Ichigo; nonetheless, she felt some red climbing its way to her cheeks.

Momo tried to settle Rangiku down as Ishida sighed and went to get another coffee. Rukia tried to cover her embarrassment over Rangiku's comment. She didn't need to be reminded of Ichigo to think about him, if she was, her sanity might escape her when all she been doing all day was thinking about that orange hair fool.

The last two days he'd been stuck at his job, tracking down some stolen explosives. Both days, she had brought him lunch and spent most of her time there with him. She either helped him with his case or worked on her own project. Since being stuck with him, it has become harder for her to work alone.

For the past week and a half, with her help, he had also been getting used to wielding his now blessed guns. He had gotten better terribly fast, already used to the new-found powers in his hands. Even though he wasn't that good controlling his new-found power, she couldn't blame him with his high level of reiatsu. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if one day she choked on the immense amount of it. However, he was wonderful and talented at using it, taking hollows down as if they were nothing but dust. She would even say that he was at an elite level and she was amazed.

Outside in the cold, still surrounded by the dark purple sky, Rukia listened to Momo and Rangiku debating as to where they should visit next. The two women were arguing and tugging one map between them while Ishida and Rukia waited calmly for the two girls to decide where they wanted to go next.

"You're eating more than usual." Rukia, not stunned at all, looked up at him with a frown. "Are you going to have an episode?" He asked next and she nodded in response.

"I can feel it," Rukia said, "I felt it this morning…while I was talking to Renji."

"Abarai?"

Sighing and yawning at the same time, both she and Ishida followed Momo and Rangiku once they started to walk towards an unknown destination. "Yes, there is this book in the library at home, and I asked Renji to ship it over. I would have asked my father, but he is far too busy to concern himself with my affairs."

"I see." Was all he said as they walked on. The street lights, along with the Christmas lights, shined brightly now that it was completely dark. As the biting wind whipped at her, Rukia pulled her red coat closer to her body and ignored the chills crawling up her legs and down her spine. They ended up at a chic boutique where Momo and Rangiku were already inside trying on every sample they could find. Rukia turned to Ishida and gave him the excuse of wanting to get a snack to not enter the store. Ishida did not question her, knowing how delicate her condition was, and said he would be inside with the other two.

Rukia agreed to be back in less than ten minutes and started walking towards the grocery store that was just around the corner. Instead, once she saw Ishida inside of the store, she stopped on the corner of the street. Opening her sketch book and flipping through some pages, Rukia soon brought out her map as well, folding it up neatly to the section of the city she wanted. She cursed herself for not bringing her glasses as she squinted and was barely able to read the words.

Almost three nights ago, after finishing another section of the book she was translating, Rukia came across an old envelope tucked between the pages. The edges were ripped and torn, stained of aging yellow and wide open. The blood red seal on the back, made with candle wax, was already gone. Only the red coloring that bleed through the envelope survived.

Her mother always told her that curiosity was her greatest weakness and sometimes, Rukia wondered if she was right. Without much thought, she removed the aged paper and handled it with care, not wanting it to be ripped more than it already was.

That night after seeing that the paper only contained the words, "_Oraculum_," she was awakened from her slumber by a vision of old, wine-covered trees that formed an arch. It was an entrance to a destination she did not know of, but something inside of her told her that she needed to find that location. She remembered stumbling into the living room of her new hotel room on the third floor. Turning on a single lamp, Rukia slammed her sketchbook onto the nearest surface. She used her newly bought charcoal and drew...and drew...and drew until dawn peaked from the horizon.

A total of seven pages – shaded and in great detail – came out of her that night. It was a sequence of clues; sketches of distinct locations that she believed were like photographs of areas that she was supposed to find. It took her a while to research what her drawing meant. Finally, after spending many hours on the internet, she found out that her first drawing came from Kagamino City.

She would have gone alone. She even planned and would have preferred to leave by herself. She almost had everything that she needed to go to Kagamino: transportation, food, housing, an excuse for Ishida, etc. It would have worked only _if_ Rangiku hadn't found out and told Momo, who then told Ishida. With little to no input from her, it was decided that all of them would visit this city for the day.

Rukia stood on the corner for at least two minutes. Snow still fell from the sky and on to the thick layers of snow from the weeks before. Looking at the map and her first drawing, she tried to get at least a fine hint to where her sketch was going to lead her to. A large garden – or that was what it looked like to her – with tall bushes and blooming flowers surrounding and embracing a marble statue of an unknown saint.

This was what she first drew, this was her lead. When researching, she wrote the address of the garden on the back of her sketch, then, on the map she circled the location of it using the same pen she was using in the café. Her other drawing locations' couldn't be found, so she hoped she could find more clues and go from there.

Without looking back towards the shop where her friends were or thinking of the danger she might be heading into, Rukia closed her sketchbook and opened her pocket watch-like necklace. It was eight and with a shrug, she left. Rukia hoped that when she arrived at the garden, there would be something there waiting for her.

~o~o~o~o~o~

All day, since the moment he woke up, Ichigo had this bad feeling stabbing him in the gut. It was a sense of dread, a sense as if something wrong was going to happen today, soon. That something was going to happen and it was going to be his fault. It was a slight terror, an agonizing pinch against his lupine senses. Something wasn't right today.

The uneasiness continued to tug at him and he even called Rukia twice only to have her call him an idiot for worrying about her. "_You should worry more about yourself and your case, Ichigo._" There was a hint of mirth in her voice when she said that. With ease, he replied that she didn't have a right to say that to him when she doesn't even follow her own advice. She laughed and teased him some more before she had to leave him; Ishida was apparently waiting for her.

That call was at least three hours ago and his fingers itched to call her again. Regrettably, his case wouldn't let him. The worry still stirred in him, not diminishing as he wished it would, but steadily increased at an alarming rate.

Nonetheless, that bad sensation didn't stop Ichigo from smiling fondly while he thought of Rukia. Over the last few days, Ichigo had proudly gotten her to laugh and open up more to him. That fluttering sensation he got when he heard her laughter had him wagging his tail and growling in excitement. He loved hearing it and even more so, he loved being the one to cause it. It also made him feel unique in her life. In the eyes of the public, she was an ice queen. But, when it was just the two of them together, she was plain dorky and always asking questions about the most idiotic things – not that he minded about that.

Things were clearly going extremely well between the two of them. They spent all their free time together: working, talking, or goofing around. His fellow co-workers started to tease him because Rukia would bring him lunch or dinner, then she usually stayed with him in his office for hours until his shift was over. His department had already given her the nickname of "Kurosaki-san." She was, of course, embarrassed the first time she was called that, but gave the man a glare so cold that Ichigo swore the poor police officer pissed his pants.

Ichigo knew he should make it clear that nothing was going on between them, for Rukia's sake. Instead, he went along with it or ignored it. Even so, he was sure he had a big grin on his face whenever he heard her being called that. Rukia blamed him and he let her, mostly because it was his fault. He never tried to stop it, and even let it escalate to the point that officers actually thought she was married to him. He didn't regret it though, he should, but didn't. It might have something to do with his lupine confidence – or arrogance – of knowing that one day, that statement was going to be true.

It wasn't his entire fault though. Personally, he liked to blame it all on Rukia's innocent nature. On two occasions, he _almost_ had her lips on his. Two near kisses would have happened if not for the interruption of a third party. The first time was the day after he killed his first hollow. The morning was bright and Rukia was helping him summon his power. The moment was perfect: the winter sun shining down on them, and she turned her head at the same moment he did. Rukia didn't notice their close proximity and he took the opportunity to lean in for the kill. Then, Keigo came out of nowhere and ruined the whole moment.

The second time was in his office. She was leaning over his shoulder to look at a piece of evidence that happened to be a riddle – she was very good at solving those. Like last time, he turned and saw his opportune moment. His hand inched its way behind her neck to bring her lips towards his and Chad came busting in. During both incidents, Rukia was oblivious to his actions and confused while he turned bright red and wouldn't look at her.

"Fuck," Ichigo groaned. He felt worn out and grumpier lately. He was sure that almost every "Other" noticed that he was, but there were a few like Chad or his dad that knew exactly why he was frustrated. The restraint he had on his lupine needs and senses has been slowly coming undone the more he was with her. If he had one taste of her, one kiss, he was sure he was either going to replenish his resolve of self-discipline or lose control of his instincts entirely.

His countless hard-ons were now a common issue he needed to take care of after Rukia left him. His fantasies were getting wilder and plenty of times he had wanted to take her and live out those fantasies for hours on end. Then, there were those moments where he wanted to mark her, bite her tender skin and create a love bite to show his ownership of her.

He thought of multiple places where he could mark her. The juncture of her neck, between or under the curve of breasts, her inner thigh, and other spots his overly active mind came up with. In the end, he decided he would simply leave his mark on every single spot he wanted. Ichigo smirked at the thought of seeing her fair skin riddled with his bites. He also wanted everyone to know that he was a fair man and he would have no problem if Rukia wanted to leave love bites on him. Hell, he would, in fact, display them proudly for the whole world to see.

"You have that weird smile on your face again, _Sergeant Major_. Thinking about your girl?" A subordinate laughed out, addressing Ichigo by his enlisted military rank.

"Shut the fuck up, Pup! Remember I can easily kick your ass, and hey...at least I have a girl!" Ichigo called out before he shut his door and chuckled a bit at the last part. It was a true statement, even if it wasn't _official_ between them. All he needed to do was to tell her she was his mate, and that was that hardest part to do since she was oblivious to every hint and suggestion he made towards her.

Ichigo noticed his open case file right in front of him and growled in irritation. There went his good mood and his stirring erection. He tried to get back to work, but a snarl left him when he saw his cell phone lighting up again. He had placed it on silent earlier on when it kept ringing nonstop for the last hour. He even made sure to change his setting on his phone to light up differently if Rukia was the one that called him, just in case she needed him so he could tell it was her calling him.

However, when he took note it wasn't her, his patience went out the window. He was already aggravated beyond belief with his case that wasn't going anywhere. Especially when there were no useful bystanders that actually knew something more than, "he was a man, wearing black, looked in his earlier or mid twenties, and I think he was four-ish inches from reaching six feet…"

No one in the force, excluding Chad, was actually helpful in this case. Everyone else had given up because the get-away car was found at a junk yard – no evidence – and their crook actually had help from the inside. In other words, it could have been anyone. There were no video records, no leads, not even a crumb left by a mouse could be found.

It was a dead end case and he happened to be the one in charge of it.

Looking at his phone, Ichigo debated answering it or not. It was late, close to ten, and his shift for the day had ended an hour ago. He could have gone home or called Rukia to see if she was back from her trip. The problem was that he was a stubborn man and wanted to close this case–trash it and forget it about it. It had been open far too long for his liking.

The vibrant light died away and everything was peaceful. Leaning back on his chair, Ichigo tried to think of more ways to get some grasp of his case when he was interrupted again. Grabbing his cell phone and flipping it open, Ichigo yelled into it with a pulsing vein on his forehead. "What do you want!"

"Rukia-san is missing!"

Silence reigned as Ichigo blinked slowly and pulled back from the phone, thinking it was a joke. Rukia was with Ishida, and that man had never even lost a contact lens before. Nevertheless, Ichigo needed to make sure and looked at the collar ID. Ishida's name flashed and glowed and he lost his cool. "Missing! Ishida, you fucking bastard, don't you dare fuck with me!"

"She's missing, Kurosaki! We've been looking for almost two hours and we can't even find a single trace of her!" Ishida was panting and still looked around for Rukia as he talked through the phone. His pulse was racing with panic and he was on edge from the moment he couldn't locate Rukia.

On his side of the phone, Ichigo knew why Ishida was calling him. There was only one reason Ishida would call him and that was because he couldn't find Rukia. Ishida needed someone he trusted that has a nose and true affection towards Rukia to find her. Ichigo hastily pulled on his jacket as he slammed all doors in his way to get outside.

"Where the fuck are you? What's your location?" There was a pause on the other end before Ishida spoke. "Fuck! Of all the fucking places to take her, you take her to the most dangerous city in fucking Japan!" Ichigo, once again, pulled himself away from the phone and let loose a long stream of curses–Curses that Ishida didn't understand the meaning of but was sure they were from Ichigo's days in the military. "Damn it, Ishida! I thought you were smarter than that! I know you're smarter than that! How the fuck could you let this happen!

"That city is known for its unjust treatment of women! Do you know what the fuck they do to women like Rukia there!" Ichigo saw that many of his co-workers had puzzled looks on their faces and some tried to ask him what his problem was. He shoved those who tried to stop him and went to his car. Slamming his car door shut, Ichigo turned the engine on and began to drive to Kagamino City.

"Don't swear at me Kurosaki! I know plenty enough of what you're speaking of!" Ishida bit back as he saw Momo and Rangiku coming back from their search, both had guilt stricken looks on their faces as they shook their heads at him. "Look, I trusted Rukia-san, and believed she was going to be alright. She's a strong witch and I thought she could handle herself…until she wouldn't pick up her phone. I called her multiple times to only hear it ring. I only called you when I was sent straight to her voice mail."

"Can't you use some sort of fucking magical pixie dust to find her!"

"I'm an elf, Kurosaki, not a pixie or a warlock. Look, there are only two answers I can come up with. One: someone took her." Ishida heard more swearing before he continued. "Or two: she left on her own."

"Why would she leave on her –" Ichigo was cut off by Ishida and kept silent for long moment. "What was that?"

"As you know, she's sick. Asthma and a weak heart, but not only that, she has Kleine-Levin syndrome," Ishida answered while he mouthed to the girls to go ask around.

"I'm no doctor, Ishida! What the fuck does that mean!"

"It's a neurological disorder, also known as Sleeping Beauty syndrome. It's characterized by recurring periods of excessive amounts of sleep and altered behavior." Ishida licked his lips and pushed his glasses up. "We call them 'episodes' and they don't occur regularly for Rukia. Sometimes, she would get an episode once every three months or twice a month. It's abnormal for her. Human doctors say she has Kleine-Levin, Others doctors believe she has them because of her heart and the low energy her heart makes to pump blood through her system."

"So, you're telling me Rukia is probably walking down the middle of the street and is about to fucking faint?" Ichigo took out his police siren and placed it on top of his car. Turning it on, he sped down the freeway. His heart was pumping, hands were sweating, and he had the need to rip Ishida's throat out with his claws.

"Perhaps. Rukia usually becomes drowsy and she's like a bear getting ready for the winter. Might sleep for days without waking up unless she needs to go to the restroom or wants to eat more."

"Where exactly are you!" Ichigo couldn't keep his temper in check. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't. He knew what that city did to women, he had been there many times for cases where women were kidnapped, raped, beaten, and then killed in the cruelest ways. His mate was in that city, out in the open for mother fucking criminals to get their disgusting hands on her.

"I'm at the corner of 5th street."

"Where was the last place you saw Rukia!" Damn, he was trembling; not only in anger but in fear. Ichigo steered himself away from those images of past cases–those beaten women with their dignity taken away from them. He did not want to picture Rukia like that; lying in a puddle of dirt, water, snow, blood, and fluids from her offenders. Eyes hollow and lifeless, as if she already gave up long before she was actually killed with bruises on her body, her flesh stained red for many reasons, and signs of her obvious struggle. Ichigo tried not to imagine the pain and humiliation she might have if that happened.

"She was walking to the grocery store, the one that's around the corner, Pan's Market." Ishida said.

Ichigo nodded to himself before he gruffed out, "Ten minutes." Ichigo hung up and sped towards the city that was known as the City of No Hope. Swearing all the way there and hoping to God Rukia was alright, Ichigo focused only on the road in front of him and Rukia. "Should've called...I should've fucking call her."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The crunching sound of the snow was loud to Rukia's ears as she walked down the middle of the road. Sure, she could use the sidewalk, but why would she? There weren't any cars passing by because the snow was too deep and too dangerous to consider to be driven on. She was long gone from the border of downtown Kagamino City where she left her friends behind and hoped Ishida wasn't too worried about her.

He had been calling her nonstop for the past hour and she even thought about answering once or twice. However, she was already this far and knowing Ishida as well as she did. Rukia didn't want to go back just yet, so she was surprised when the ringing stopped suddenly. She checked her phone to see that it died on her. "_Oh well,_" Was the only thought that came across her mind as she ambled her way through the snow. There weren't a lot of people where she was heading to, and it almost felt as if she entered a deserted part of town. The further she went the fewer people she came in contact with until, finally, there were none at all.

Rukia hummed to herself her mother's lullaby as she pulled her red coat closer to her body. She placed the hood over her head as the snow storm progressively worsened. She would still hum even when a frown etched itself on her face. She wondered how the garden she drew would be able to look green and flourish when it was the middle of winter. Then again, how could a man turn into a wolf?

She's been walking for two hours, her nose and cheeks stung from the cold and her toes felt numb. A sigh of relief left her when she finally arrived at the corner of Fall St. leaning against a red brick wall; she slid down until she was a couple of inches away from sitting on to the snow. Using her legs as support, Rukia took her map out and drew another line connecting her last stop to her current one. She smiled when she saw she only had a block left to go before she got to the garden. Her body protested vehemently as she got up and kept walking.

Hopefully, she could do whatever her gut and visions were telling her to do – for once in her life – before her mind clouded and she fainted. How she wished she was in better health, but it was her weakness. Her body was her weakness, and there was nothing she could do about it. She had to live with it and bring even more shame to her family's name.

A few more steps, around a corner, duck under a rogue branch, then more steps, more steps, and more. Rukia wasn't sure what bothered her more: that it was so quiet she had a hard time hearing herself think, or the fact that her little adventure was leading her into the woods. She went with the former and stood at the wall of trees. There was nowhere else to go. There were houses on one side of the street, then this forest.

The address she had copied disappeared on the street, like it never existed. She looked around and frowned, knowing that there was only one thing to do if she wanted to find this garden. Looking straight ahead, she saw many trees, tall and grand, covered in a layer of white snow. Yet, when she squinted, she could make out this mist of shimmering gold. Twigs, leaves, and a dusting of dirt poked out of the ground, baring the signs that there was life under the sheet of ice.

Thoughtfully, she looked down to her feet and twitched and shifted them under her shoes before she shrugged. Entering these woods would probably ruin her shoes and the cold water would soak through even more. She didn't mind it as much because her toes were already frozen, thus she untied the pouch that was attached around a loop of her jeans.

Pulling on the pale silver thread and opening the shimmering white pouch, she peered inside this small bag. The blackness inside was endless and she wondered what would a normal human think if he saw what she was seeing right now.

A void of space that could contain only a small limited amount of the thing she wished for. If her bag had more space, she would've brought her broom. Rukia brought her sketch book and her pack of charcoal near it and the bag got bigger in size. She dropped her things inside and tied it closed. With her things packed away, the bag shrank back to its original size. Fitting in the palm in her hand, she brought it up to her ears and shook it, but heard nothing from inside.

Moving her coat aside, she tied it around her the loop of her jeans before she took the map from her back pocket. The pen was close behind and circled her final location. "Here I go," She said and took her first step inside the woods, towards the shimmering gold light of magic.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ichigo shoved his car door open, the makeshift car siren already thrown to the back seat as he looked around. He always spotted her in a crowd. He could always find her without trying. Her spirit, her essence was like a bright light among the darkness, it stood out to him. That was how he knew she wasn't here in the city. He couldn't see her, couldn't smell her, and couldn't even feel her presence.

Ishida saw him and yelled his name. Ichigo turned around and saw the elf jogging towards him and he slammed his car door shut and moved forward. Without much thought, Ichigo felt his anger and panic coming back to him. The bubbling panic of his mate here in this city, possibly in danger clawed at him.

The anger kept stabbing itself against his head and heart. Why was he not with her? Why wasn't he there to watch over her? To keep her safe was the only thing he wanted to make sure of, he couldn't lose her.

With a snarl, Ichigo cocked his elbow back and let his fist fly to meet with Ishida's nose. The elf fell a few feet back and doubled over in shock and pain. Ishida cursed, "What the hell? You don't hit a guy in glasses, Kurosaki!" He tasted blood and his hand went up to his nose. "And you don't break their noses either!"

"I don't give a shit about your fucking nose, Ishida!" Ichigo marched over to him with a splash of blood on his fist. "And I don't give a shit about what I should or shouldn't be doing; since you're not doing what you're fucking supposed to do!"

"I called you because I needed your help, not for you to punch me!" Ishida yelled back as he tried to stop his nose from bleeding.

"You called me...you called me because you lost her. You're calling because Rukia disappeared–something that was not meant to happen–because it's your fucking job to fucking watch over her and keep her safe!" Ichigo growled, "That was why I left her with you!" The elf fixed his glasses with one hand, and met Ichigo's glare. "I trusted you to keep her safe, you fucking piece of shit! She isn't supposed to be in danger!"

"You're acting as if she's your mate, Kurosaki!"

Twisting Ishida's shirt in his palm and lifting the elf off the ground, Ichigo's lips pulled back, teeth bare and fierce. "She is my mate, and once I find her. She better be in one piece, looking fine and dandy like the last time I saw her because if she isn't. It's going to be _your_ fucking head, elf boy."

Ishida struggled as the tips of his toes were barely touching the ground. He met the beta's stare and had his mask melt off his face; his inner thoughts were out in the open. If he didn't know Ichigo, Ishida would have been scared for his life. Ishida felt the power coming off Ichigo. He felt the anger of heat and domination rolling off of him. Ichigo was rigid, stern and pissed off because Rukia was missing. Rukia who was his mate, Ishida felt relieved in a way but also nervous.

Shoving Ishida back, Ichigo was met with a weak punch on the back of his shoulder. He shifted his head towards that timid attack, and saw large wet brown eyes. The woman in front of him was a bit taller than Rukia, brown hair in a bun and she stumbled out, "D-don't you dare hurt Ishida, you…you mean person!"

"What she said–but with 'bastard' at the end instead!" Another woman, taller and blonder came running up to them. "Ishida might be a joy kill, but he never once tried to place Rukia in danger!" The blond American woman, Ran-san as Rukia called her, looked at him as if she wanted to stab a dagger in his gut. The shorter one was Momo, if he remembered correctly. She was engaged to one of the representatives. With a scowl he turned away from them and looked at Ishida again.

"Either take my car or yours, but get_ them_ out of here." Ichigo glared at Ishida before he took a big whiff of the air. "This place has a reputation when it comes to crimes against women: rape, sold into prostitution and murder are at the top of the list. It's not safe to have them here. Take them back to Karakura." Ichigo sensed the two women about to protest, and took out his badge, "I'm a cop, so shut the fuck up and do what I say." He growled at them.

"Rukia-san, how are you going to-"

"She's my _mate_!" His chest heaved as he looked at Ishida and ignored the gasp from behind him. "I'll find her and bring her back. I can't look for her knowing two of her friends might be in danger as well. You take care of them and I'm going to search for her. I'm a wolf, she's my mate. I'll find her."

Ichigo didn't bother to see them off as he got into his car. When he inhaled the stench of the city, he caught her fair scent: faint, nearly lifeless, and far from where he was standing. He raced down the streets of the city, leaving its lights and illegal activity for another day.

Snow was piled high on the roads and he was glad he remembered to place snow chains on his tires days before. Winters were getting harsher every year and he knew a normal human – or nymph that happened to be a witch – wouldn't be able to survive an entire night outside in the cold. Ichigo had his window rolled down and with the cold wind and flakes of ice swirled into his car, he caught her scent mixed in as well.

Rukia's essence was getting stronger with every twist and turn he took, the orchids and roses calmed him. From having her scent, he could tell that she was alone. He could scratch out her getting kidnapped from the list of reasons why she placed herself in danger. If she wandered off on her own, telling no one and frightening _him_ of all people. Ichigo swore that he was going to bring her to hishome, lecture her, and then show her why she shouldn't worry him by having his way with her until noon.

Scowling, he skidded around the corner of Rose St. and then another called Fall St. He kept driving down that street before Rukia's scent completely disappeared. Ichigo stopped his car and looked to his right and saw trees. This was an actual forest here, at the edge of town. Rolling his window up and getting out of the car he stood there. His scowl deepened when he smelled blood and he howled in rage when he realized it was hers.

He took most of his clothing off except for his pants, and threw them in the car without a second thought. There was panic inside of him again, streaming through his blood with anger as he slammed his door shut and shifted. Muscles budged and molded, bones grew and cracked into place, a burning heat ran over him as he felt himself get taller. His pants ripped and become nothing but shreds of fabric, his feelings intensified as he let out another howl.

Standing in his were-form, Ichigo snarled as he ran forward into the forest and towards her. Ichigo shoved aside anything that was in his way and almost nearly knocked down a tree. He needed her, he needed her to be with him, he needed her in his arms, and he'd be damned if anything got in his way.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia frowned when she saw blood in her handkerchief, it wasn't the first time she coughed up blood but she wished it didn't occur so often. Staring at her blood covered cloth, she felt uncertain about the outcome of her illnesses. Her father was unaware and so was everyone else about her current state of bleeding and she was determined to have it stay that way.

She was already weak and ill with her asthma, sleeping disorder, and weak heart. Why give her father another reason to find her unworthy? Underneath her eyes, she felt the pressure of tears and pushed them away. Tears weren't going to save her or help solve her problems.

Not wanting to bother anyone with her bad health, she kept quiet. For months she lied to her doctors, to her own father and even to her tight cluster of four friends. God must want to kill her; she once thought and felt she had no right to stop him. "Then…why do I want to deny Him?" Rukia frowned while she placed her handkerchief away and moved onwards.

Right now, she needed to finish what she began, her health could wait. It wasn't going anywhere, she was sure about that. Up the slope of the hill, Rukia was right about her shoes. They were soaked and biting cold along with the bottom of her jeans. However, she didn't care.

Sleep was upon her and how she wanted to go back to her hotel room or back to Ichigo's couch – which was quite comfortable the first time she accidentally fell asleep on it. Her lids were growing heavier, her feet dragged from time to time, and she swayed dizzily. Much longer and Rukia knew she would faint and probably die from sleeping on the snow.

Rukia knew that the right choice would be to head back, even if it meant facing the wrath of Ishida. In spite of that reasonable option, she kept moving. Moments later, she knew she made the right choice when she was suddenly out of the winter wonderland of trees and was covered in a shimmering light of gold. Night had turned to day and Rukia knew she entered a hidden realm of magic. It was as if the forest was in the late season of spring; it smelled of moist afternoon breezes and had a mist of magic falling down from the sky. Soon, she found a trail about a quarter of a mile in the mystifying forest and began to follow it. She hoped it would lead her to wherever she needed to go.

Streams of light peaked through the branches of the trees and when those ribbons of light fell across a patch of green life, it stirred awake, stretched and uncoiled before blooming. The light was a minted hue of golden and cast itself over the green of the plants and the brown bark of tall trees.

Rukia wonder if there were any fairies or trolls or pixies living in the forest as she hummed lightly to herself, swinging her shoes in her hands for they were too wet and cold to wear. The further she went the wilder and more mystical the forest became. The branches of the trees curved and interlaced over her head. There were vines crawling all over the place, on the ground and on the trees. It spread their arms to cover every single thing with their presence, proudly embracing their lovely home. Moss knitted itself on the tree trunks, and there were insects flying around as well. Some that landed on bushes or vines morphed into flowers, fluttering their wings and enclosing themselves in lovely, petal-like cocoons.

Rukia stopped mid-step and looked behind her. Breathlessly, she said his name, "Ichigo?" She heard out of nowhere, a howl that sounded like him. The deep rumble of his voice, she was sure it was him. At the same time, she thought how foolish it was for her to assume it was him when it could have been her imagination.

Ichigo wouldn't come looking for her; she was almost nothing to him except his partner. She was also a big girl and could handle herself. She was pretty sure that he had better things to do than to look for her. She, of all people, did not need to be rescued. Never once when she was younger did she wish for a hero or ask for help and she wasn't going to start now. No one would come rescue her when she could easily do it herself.

The howl shook her and sent a tremble up her spine, and her gut was now telling her to go back –that was Ichigo calling for her. Becoming so close to him was, as she suspected, a nuisance. Day in and day out with him over the past week made her feelings melt and grow stronger over him. It was getting in the way of her work and her purpose here in Japan.

There was another howl, and as much as she wished to go to him, she ignored it and went on. Forced her feet to continue up the trail and resume humming again. Rukia tried to distract herself with anything, and soon noticed that the bottom of her feet were in pain. At once she looked down and decided she was fine as long as she didn't start to bleed.

Her left arm had also sustained a bit of an injury. While she was walking up the trail, there happened to be a cluster of rogue branches poking out of a tree that she somehow didn't notice. She accidentally collided with them and felt one cut through the thin skin of her arm. She thought she was bleeding when she felt the sting, but there was nothing but a welt to tell her that she had stupidly lost her focus.

Pushing that aside, it was less than four minutes of walking when she rounded a corner and saw a tall stone wall–no, she was wrong. Going up even further, it was in fact an entrance made of stone. Almost like her dream except instead of wood, it was stone. It stood tall, and twisted on top of the wall was a sign that read, "_Exordium_" in curved letters. There was a rose as the entrance's symbol, she assumed, formed below the words.

The sign was entangled with vines, like the rest of the stone walls. Her mouth opened slightly as she stared. It looked old and probably was. The color of it was a dull gray; there were cracks and crumbs of the stone wall on the floor. Leaves hung off the wall, vines were interwoven with the stone and buds lay on the vines; all were unopened she noted.

With her shoes still in her hands, Rukia entered the long corridor of stone. Right away she became aware that she was in a maze when she took a corner, and another, and met a dead end. With a sigh, she closed her right hand tightly and opened it when she saw a bright light stream out between her fingers. Slowly, her wooden wand grew and rested in the palm of her hands. " _Me conduire à ma destination._" She said the French spell of direction as she pointed straight ahead.

From the tip of her wand bloomed a petal that was followed by another one, and then between the two petals came the rest of her butterfly. It was red and gleamed in the yellow light of the maze. It fluttered its wings once, twice, before it lifted up and began to move.

Satisfied with her spell, Rukia's wand vanished in a white light and trailed behind the butterfly as quietly as she could. The deeper the butterfly led her, the more untamed the plants were. She even passed a large tree that had demolished a wall that was in its way. Rukia wondered why none of the flowers on the stone walls were blooming. From what she could tell, the weather looked fine and all the other plants were in bloom, expect for the pale green buds on the wall.

Rukia's head was pounding and her stomach grumbled in hunger, the sense of fatigue was finally having their affect on her. She coughed more, and wrinkled her nose at the sight of blood, again, on her already stained handkerchief. Her vision was blurrier and she wondered when she lost her shoes, her map, and the pen – even if she really did not care for the pen.

She wanted to go back, however the timid fluttering of the butterfly kept on going and so did she. Rukia pushed her hood off her head, and loosened the buttons as it became hotter. She jogged up to the butterfly, but it was gone. Her little guide was gone, and left her to a closed wall.

"Did I say the spell wrong?" She asked to no one as she looked around. There was nothing but walls, and no sight of her little friend. "Is this another punishment for leaving my friends, God?" Rukia sarcastically said as placed one of her hands on her cheeks, the gloves she had on were cool and she didn't speculate to why that was.

She stared at the stone wall that was covered in leaves and vines and unopened buds. Her eyes drifted to the hand that left her cheek, and began to take one glove off her hand. She opened her fingers and flexed them. Not knowing what else to do, Rukia placed her hand against the wall, and commanded the flowers to bloom. "_Fiore_" She said.

And they did.

All at once the sprouts twisted and opened in the gold shimmering air. She heard the vines crinkle to life and was overcome by the smell of lilies. The ground began to shake; a loud cracking sound in front of her. The quake underneath her was strong and she would've fallen to the ground if she wasn't steadying herself against the wall behind her.

The stone wall that her butterfly led her to made another loud sound and started to stir awake. With keen interest, she watched and stiffened a gasp when the vines began to move and separate. It left the wall bare to her sight, utterly alone when the rest were cover in the green limbs.

Unsure of what was going to happen next, she kept still. Ever so slowly, a sheer gold light was streaming through a long, crooked crack in the wall. From the formed crack, the wall separated into two sections like double doors. The stone bricks that made of the maze's walls soon moved away from each other in a loud rumble, creating the entrance. Blinded from the golden light, she squinted her eyes when low and behold:

There was the garden she drew, beyond the stone gated exit of the maze.

Rukia was panting as she pushed herself away from the wall she attached herself to. Not entirely sure if she was panting because she was surprised by the creation of the entrance or from the long hike. "I should work-out more," She mused and walked forward.

The sight of the garden was astonishing. Wild and green, many flowers in different colors – some even had a neon tint to them– flourished from any place they could along a trail made of misty white color pebbles. She crossed a river of blue flowing water by using a large old wooden bridge; it creaked on certain steps and there were two squirrels that ran past her from one end of the bridge to the other. Like the maze, the garden gave a sense of enchantment. Everything that wasn't made directly from mother earth naturally was covered in plants. Animals and insects would blend in with its surroundings–it was amazing.

Only the saint in the middle of the garden, she noticed, looked new. The marble was polished and gleamed in the muted forest light. There was a type of power barrier around the statue that made plants unable to grow near it. Rukia went closer to the statue and frowned when she only saw a plaque near the bottom of the statue. She frowned when she had trouble reading the print on the plaque, but tried her best to focus on the blurry words.

The words were painted in gold and read:

_This is only the beginning_

_Two paths lie ahead_

_Decide the course of action _

_Once started, must be completed_

_Continue or not_

_Accept the changes that are going to occur _

_Face the challenges that are placed on the path of enlightenment_

Rukia shook her head, not understanding the message fully and wondered if she did a mistranslation of the Latin words they were originally written in. She looked up at the statue before her and tried to catch something that she might have missed. It gleamed in the golden rays of sun light. The marble man stared at nothing; his body faced the entrance to which she came from. Its gaze on the other hand was facing west with an empty expression on its face. One arm on its side, the other upon his heart, and his hands were fisted.

He was yearning for something, she observed right away. Even with the marble's stern frown and the tense body, she saw it in his eyes. The dazed look that also desired something, or perhaps someone. Rukia began to consider if this was a hint, and when she was going to take a glance towards west, she stopped at the sound of her name. It was being said loudly by a husky voice from behind her, one completely familiar and full of concern.

The shimmering gold aura from the world faded, the afternoon sun became the night's glowing moon. It was dark, very dark and she could barely see a thing. Spring disappeared before her eyes and winter was around her again. Snow covered her and the ground, and her feet rested on top of the ice.

She knew right away she should move, but it was then she saw it. The golden plate was gone and in place of it was a carving of a dog. Faded from age, but it was still there. Spotted with black and white, holding a lit torch in its mouth. "_Dominican Hounds_," She thought when she heard a loud crack and looked up.

The statue before her was old, covered in vines and dirt. "What just happened?" She dared ask as a crack appeared right in the middle of the statue's forehead. It was a faint mark, but it grew. It moved, then stopped, then moved again before it reached the feet and began to fall apart before her very eyes.

Crumpling before her, the pieces began to fall and fly towards her. Maybe because of her weakened state, she couldn't react in time to avoid the objects that were being thrown towards her. Rukia heard her name being called again as the heavy musky scent of tobacco smoke and sandalwood overwhelmed her.

She knew she was safe from harm for now.

* * *

_**A/n: Thank you all for reading this chapter, and for still reading my fic after eight months. **_

_**It makes me happy to know that many like my fic, and enjoy it. Please review, some may not know how wonderful it is just to get a review that might simply say: "You're doing a wonderful job, keep updating." But even those simple reviews make writers, like myself, want to create the best fic and plot line.**_

_**Thank you for your support, please review, and see you next month. 8D**_


	9. Chapter 8

**_A/n: __Tada, here is Chapter 8. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and once again, I want to thank both my beta-ers. I don't really have much to say expect that I'm thinking about doing a 30_Passion challenge one-shots for Ichigo and Rukia. If you think I should, tell me. ^^_**

**_Also, to all my reviews, thank you guys for your support. 8D_**

**_Enjoy._**

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Beginning**_

The beginning may sound like the easiest step to start a path. But it's not. Life is a sequence of stages that one does not have control over–even if one believes they do.

The beginning of life is a large paradox in itself: birth is the beginning of one's the end.

There are many steps to take when it comes to living. There cannot be any breaks or pauses in between. Time will not stop for anyone. Not even for God himself who created it and who has the ability to alter it.

Time will continue to drop its grains of sand forever.

The beginning means the start of something new. Leaving one's comfort and security behind in exchange for a touch of something new and different in their life. It's the hardest thing to do for one does not know the outcome.

The future is undetermined, a blind pathway that is only fill with the hopes of the forgotten.

It's the beginning of something that will most likely end in regret and dread. One must recognize that the first step taken is the first step that one cannot retake.

One may restart their life, but never begin their life anew. One can change tomorrow when one makes a mistake in the day before. It would be easier to change the past, and it is because of those grains of sands that one cannot.

It is not possible.

The beginning of a new stage of life is nerve wracking for its uncertainty.

This is the reason why I try to avoid those events at all causes. I dislike change. It gives me another reason to add onto my list of sins.

However, I discovered that the beginning may be scary and unclear. It can also be the most breathtaking and beautiful splash of cool water against my face.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Using his body as coverage, he made sure the woman in his arms was safe.

She was soft and fragile; her heart was beating rapidly as her breath came out in short pants. A faint, "Ichigo" from her lips made him squeeze his eyes shut to prevent his fears from bursting out. All he wanted to do was to bring her closer, ensure that she was well.

However he could not.

Instead, he growled when he looked at her condition. Feet were raw, there was a scratch on her arm, and a deep cut on the side of her forehead. She was bleeding, shivering slightly, and she looked so damn innocent with those big glassy eyes of hers.

He felt pieces of marble being slammed onto his back, but as long as she was safe he couldn't care less. "_You okay_?" He asked her with a nudge, and even if he was in his were-form, he was positive that she understood him.

"Perfectly fine…" She whispered out quietly, her voice was firm but he detected hesitation behind it. "But…what are you doing–?"

Only able to take her word for now, Ichigo cut her off. "_Good...that's great._" He said affectionately to her before he stood up, tall and broad and covered in black fur. An angry shimmer in his eyes as he turned around and snarled, "_Because you're fucking not you cunt-bastard!_"

Rukia wrinkled her nose in distaste at Ichigo's vulgar language and would have said something to mock his vocabulary, but she happened to be more curious about whom he had said that to. Silently placing her hand on the back of his leg, she felt his muscles coil and shudder beneath her touch as she peered around him.

First all she saw was snow, layers and layers of snow that was once not there. Her wonderful garden that was dusted in gold faded into a cold winter's night. She mused over what happened to her, but when she heard a twig snap in half. She decided it would be better to think of her current situation at another time when there wasn't an enemy stalking them.

A figure was across of them, and she saw that it was an Others Ichigo was threatening. As she fought to stand, Rukia had to bite back a hiss at the pain shooting through her feet, but she still tried to get up to get a better look at the Others. Whoever he was, he was an exotic sky blue were-jaguar. If he was standing, she was sure he would be as tall as Ichigo. The man, she suspected, had bone armor on his body, large sharp claws, and wild aquamarine eyes. Whoever he was, he exuded an immense energy of insanity mixed with wickedness. A crazed look in his eyes along with a thirst for what she thought was blood.

The enemy's eyes looked at Ichigo before glancing at Rukia. "_Don't fucking look at her!_" She heard Ichigo snarled at the enemy. The large cat simply smiled at them–at her–and said something she couldn't understand.

Ichigo, on the other hand, understood the man clearly. An animalistic roar came from Ichigo, another threat that didn't need words to get its point across. Quickly, Rukia was in his arms as he moved away, never turning his back to the enemy. He carried her over the bridge and placed her on a bench that was covered in snow, but he thought it was better than having her standing on it. When they were good distance away from the Others, Ichigo told her not to move before returning to face the creature. Over the bridge that squeaked on certain steps, past the broken statue of the saint, Ichigo met the were-jaguar with a snarl but did not attack.

Both weres looked at each other with intense awareness. Ichigo's amber eyes were harsh and attentive. The enemy's cerulean eyes were livid and eager. Rukia looked at them fully from where she sat with her apathetic Kuchiki mask on the moment she learned she and Ichigo weren't alone. She watched closely and loyally.

Immediately she noticed the minor differences between the two weres. She felt the power coming off them and in the back of her mind; she began to wonder why she was sitting here. Being told what to do and actually _complying _with them. Why was she following his orders? Looking at her hands swiftly, she saw them shaking and felt her lips trembling. Feeling drained, she looked up when she heard more snarling and growling and almost gasped when she saw the first hit.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Watching the man in front of him, Ichigo barked out questions. Many of which the jaguar only laughed at. "_If you want answers out of me, mutt, you need to beat them out of me!_" It was then the jaguar looked beyond Ichigo to Rukia's impassive form and smiled widely. "_Or you can give me the girl as a fair trade. I need a new toy anyways, and she happens to be my type: Small, beautiful, and fuckable._"

"_Touch her, you'll die!_" Ichigo snarled loudly.

"_Sharing is caring, Kurosaki._" The man said to Ichigo with a crazed smile.

Ichigo released his claws from their hidden confinement and pulled back his lips in a sneer. "_How the fuck do you know me and who the hell are you!_" He demanded.

"_Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, at your fucking service!_" The man, now identified as Grimmjow, attacked Ichigo. Slashing his claws through Ichigo's left forearm, through Ichigo's muscle with such ease that it didn't feel as if he got cut. Ichigo didn't even make a sound at the visible pain, not even a small whimper of surprise.

Instead he got into position. He sank low with both of his paws rooted onto the ground, ready for the next attack. Seconds slowly ticked by, the blood from Ichigo's wound poured freely onto the snow and Grimmjow still had that crazed look in his eyes.

The large cat then whipped its tail side to side, waiting for the right moment to strike. As the resourceful brawler that he was, Ichigo watched his enemy's movements closely. Ichigo blocked, avoided, and defended as he observed Grimmjow leisure style. He saw that the jaguar was swift and direct; his fighting style was actually almost similar to Ichigo's.

Grimmjow charged straight for the kill, giving hard-on assaults that were fatal and chaotic. It almost reminded Ichigo how he used to fight when he was younger, when he used to live in the United States and went to Washington Military Academy.

Ichigo then remembered his sergeant in the academy. A man who was strict and powerful. Who once told him that whenever he was in a battle with an enemy, never underestimate them. Monitor the enemy's actions, watch their expressions, and note the strength they give off. That was exactly what Ichigo was doing as he fought the oversized cat. Ichigo could quickly get the upper hand in the battle after minutes of following those set-in-stone instructions.

Grimmjow went for Ichigo's hind legs, but Ichigo avoided the attack and slammed his own claws into Grimmjow's side. He felt his claws entering the were-jaguar's skin, however Ichigo didn't expect the jaguar to howl in pure excited rage. "_Finally an attack!_" Were Grimmjow's words as he rapidly pulled away from Ichigo, got into a stance and attacked again.

Grimmjow's strikes were more violent and fierce. Ichigo could easily keep up but this unleashed power made him wonder if Grimmjow was holding back. The jaguar bit him again on his arm, and Ichigo used this sudden opportunity to rip Grimmjow off of him and threw the cat to the other side of the garden, slamming him into a maze's wall.

Ichigo thought that was all it was going to take after minutes of silence. However, he was mistaken when the jaguar rose to its feet, shook its head and moved. Ichigo saw that there was steam–or smoke–coming from Grimmjow's wounds. Looking at his claw that was covered in Grimmjow's blood, Ichigo knew it looked and even smelled normal for a were-jaguar. Then, he thought about why Grimmjow's wounds were smoking, almost as if it was being purified like a hollow.

"_Finally noticed, dipshit?_" Grimmjow sneered as he struck again and again. Ichigo met one heavy claw with his own, and snarled when he sank his teeth into Grimmjow's own arm. Just when Ichigo thought he was going to win, again, Grimmjow smirked and caught him off guard when he said. "_You think you can win against me! I'm the fucking Sexta Espada, mutt!_"

From the pit of Grimmjow's mouth formed a ball of black energy. It grew in size, gave off this disgusting force of death, a power that ate away from the life that mother earth provided. Even in his stunned form, Ichigo still moved and blocked the attack with ease. He might not have something to counterattack, but he had speed as he prepared for the next attack.

However, it never came. Grimmjow had sent the attack, but it didn't even get within ten feet of Ichigo when the jaguar was blasted to the side. The Sexta Espada grunted loudly, but Ichigo hastily looked at where the source of the blast came from.

He saw Rukia a few feet away from the bench he placed her at. Standing as tall as she could with her wand pointed straight at where Grimmjow used to be. Her stance was stiff, her face was cool and expressionless, eyes vacant. She didn't show any signs of pain, no panic or fear of what she had just done. Confidently she lowered her arm, her chest was heaving slightly but her eyes never strayed from her unseen target.

"_What the hell was that, Rukia! Are you trying to provoke him?_" He asked, but she simply titled her face his way, trying to get a glimpse of Grimmjow. Frustrated at her for ignoring him, he was going to yell at her when he finally saw it. The trail of blood slipping from the corner of her lips and he was sure her face hadn't been injured except for the nick on the other side of her face. When he left her on that bench, he took some fleeting seconds to take a quick and perceive account of her state. She was bleeding in many places, except there had been no blood coming from her lips, he was sure.

Ishida's annoying voice of reason hammered its way in his mind, and he remembered that she was sick. All of her illnesses came back to him at once: asthma, sleeping disorder, a weak heart. What else was wrong with her? For such a small woman who looked so strong, it pained him to know that his mate had devastating illnesses. Every day she had to wake up knowing that it may be her last. He didn't know how she could live like that. "_Rukia!_"

Rukia didn't turn her gaze to him for it was at that moment Grimmjow came out behind her. Not moving towards her or away, he stood there on all four. Bleeding, angry, but amused nonetheless. She stood her ground, walking backwards calmly but almost lost her balance over a loose step on the bridge as she tried to put some distance between the two of them.

Grimmjow moved from being in front of her to behind, thinking he could catch her defenseless. He was surprise when she turned to him and her cold stare became a sharp glare. "_Detrimos_!" She cast out, the spell hitting the jaguar directly in his eyes.

Grimmjow snarled at her as the sudden magic hit him, and wiped his eyes against the snow in a frustrated manner. Nevertheless, he used this chance to snatch her from where she stood and pulled her to the ground with him. He grinned at having her beneath him, his interest in her increased tenfold when she remained impassive from the sudden ambush. "_Forgot one thing, Princess!_ _I don't need my eyes to have you underneath me._"

"_No, but you sure as hell need to kill me first!_" Ichigo was up and tackled the jaguar off of Rukia's fallen form. Ichigo wasted no more time in this brawl. He went directly for Grimmjow's wind pipes with his claws but was met with the black energy attack he was trying to avoid earlier.

Ichigo skidded away from Grimmjow but landed firmly on his feet in time to see a man coming out from the shadows. The man had soulless eyes with a bored look on his face as he took a glance over the scenery.

Having the advantage of his two unknown adversaries distracted with each other, Ichigo went to Rukia's side swiftly. He gathered her lithe body in his arms in a protective embrace as she protested, saying something along the line that she could take care of herself. Even if she said that to him, she couldn't deny the warmth from his body sent a pleasant shiver down her spine, a reminder to her body that she felt safe when he was close and concerned about her. "Don't leave my side." He said to her as he stared down at her with tender eyes, and she couldn't help but agree and settled down.

"I thought I told you to not get involved." With dead green eyes and black shaggy hair that stopped to his shoulders, the man was similar to Grimmjow. He gave off an energy that was dark and powerful, and in his left hand were pieces of clothing that he threw to the ground, "He's calling us." Ichigo would've asked who was calling them, but with Rukia in his arms, he didn't dare risk getting her into more danger.

Grimmjow lost his were-form as his body shifted and molded until he became a man. He was tall as Ichigo with icy blue hair, cerulean eyes, and no clothing–to which Ichigo promptly covered Rukia's eyes from.

The man glanced at Ichigo who was still in his were-form, holding Rukia with a large scowl on his face. "Was it for this woman?" He asked as Grimmjow swiftly pulled his pants on.

"Could you blame me, Ulquiorra?" The question was directed to his partner, but Grimmjow faced Rukia who happened to squirm her head free from Ichigo's grasp. Her eyes connected with Grimmjow's as he wickedly pulled his zipper up with one hand and used the other to rub away the spell she cast earlier on his eyes. "Not only looks, but witty and feisty as well." Ichigo snarled again and tightened his hold on Rukia.

Ulquiorra was indifferent to Grimmjow's vulgarity and Ichigo's protectiveness, simply answered with a "yes" before leaving. Grimmjow shrugged off the insult as he followed, paying no heed to the open wounds left on his body. But as they were leaving, bored and uninterested to what had just took place, Grimmjow looked back and said clearly to both of them. "Don't miss us, we'll be back soon."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The moment the Espadas left, everything became still. The snow continued to drift down, the stars in the night sky twinkled uninterrupted, and everything was quiet. The garden was marked with Ichigo and Grimmjow's short battle. Beside the marble saint that was completely destroyed, many walls were cracked and falling apart, the ground was uprooted in certain places and withered trees that would have blossomed during spring were wrecked.

Damaged as it was, the treasure in his arm was alive and breathing.

Ichigo had her in his arms, not willing to letting her go, not yet. Closing his eyes, he heard her heart beat, the fast thud it made against her chest. It relaxed him for it meant she was alive. She didn't attempt to escape him. No, she stayed in his embrace. Feeling tired, she settled her head on his chest, glancing around the forgotten garden, grasping for some sort of comprehension.

He wondered what she was thinking, what she was feeling. He was about to ask her when she began to move away from him. "_What are you doing?_"

"Let me go." She demanded harshly and he felt annoyed at her sudden request. Weren't they just enjoying each other's company after fighting one of the men that desired to start a war against the Others? He didn't comply with her wishes and it fired her up even more to leave his arms.

It took her many attempts to get free from his jail-like embrace: she squirmed, threatened him, cursed at him, and then she placed a small incantation that gave him a little shock. The moment she got an opening, she took it. She hurried to where she first was attacked while ignoring the pain in her feet. He growled at her escape–at bloody foot prints she left behind–and followed her quickly.

"_Rukia!_" Ichigo took a hold of her waist, lifting her up as she writhed in his grasp. "_Rukia!_" She stopped when he stared at her straight in the eyes, with those amber irises that she had grown accustomed to.

"Can you put me down?" She angrily asked as he brought one arm under her knees and hoisted her up.

Ichigo snorted, "_Course not._"

"Then, put me down you utter fool!" There she went struggling against him again. Before he could snap at her and force her to stay still. She placed one of her glove-covered hands on where his left cheek would be if he was in his human form. "Or go over to where the statue once stood and acquire that envelope for me." She used her other hand to point to what she meant.

On the deserted pedestal where the marble man used to be, under all the dust and debris was an old and decaying envelop. "Please." He stood tall and impatient, staring at where she aimed at as he looked at her again, enjoying the weight of her body in his arms. "Please?"

This time she asked him politely.

And even if he wanted to take her home to nurse her back to health, get rid of the wounds on her feet, arm, and forehead. He easily complied with her wishes. It would have been too hard to refuse her when she looked like this. Silently he walked over to the letter, stepping careful over any wreckage in his way. Reaching for the letter, he didn't give it to Rukia as she asked; instead he kept it in his hand. "_Home first, then letter._"

"You are insufferable." She huffed but let it end there. She was weary, worn out and didn't have the energy to get into another disagreement with him; at least not now. So she kept silent, wrapped her arms around Ichigo's thick fur neck and laid her head on his shoulder.

Rukia's red coat was wide open and covered in snow but she didn't really mind. Ichigo's fur and exposed skin were also being sprinkled by the falling white dust as he stood there for a couple of moments. Having seen two Espadas, Ichigo knew this meant that their time for peaceful coexistence was about to end. He wasn't sure if this battle had a purpose or if it was a message for the Others. Whatever it was, he was worried.

Ichigo took a glance around the garden once last time, feeling bad for its destruction. It probably would've been a nice place in spring he thought as Rukia called out to him. Looking up at him with those eyes that held no tears, no panic or fear except for the exhaustion that he might have as well in his. "_I'm right here, sweetheart._"

Even at her scowl, Ichigo instinctively enclosed her in a tight embrace. His inhumanly large arms wrapped around her, overlapping her small form easily and brought her closer to him. His nose buried into her neck before he moved down between the swell of her breasts. He heard her gasp as her heart rate increased from the sudden intimacy. He smelt the rush of winter roses and orchids being pumped into him with every beat. She didn't push him away, only shifted her head to the side, not wanting to see their improper closeness.

Because of her turned face, he saw that gash on her forehead, bleeding and running down the curve of her chin down to her neck. He didn't like the smell of it. He didn't even like knowing she was hurt. His arms trembled and he knew she felt it as well. God, he was scared, petrified when he arrived and saw her being attacked. In the back of his mind, there were the 'what if' theories haunting him.

He didn't know what he would've done if he'd been seconds too late, or if those two actually tried to take her away from him. He couldn't have that. Ichigo couldn't live with those thoughts, so he let her comfort him.

Moments passed between them. He didn't move for fear of his own legs giving out under him–because he didn't want to permit Rukia to leave his arms. If it wasn't for her wounds, Ichigo was sure he would have stayed there on the grounds of the abandoned garden with her. His heart was warm and his stomach settled down knowing she was safe now, but he had to get her home.

Not even glancing back to the statue that Rukia came to see–where the Espadas came from–he turned and walked away from it all. From the garden, he entered the fucked up maze again and steadily walked down the make-shift path. No words were exchanged between the two but if he was human, Ichigo was certain he would've scowl at how light she was. He was tempted to scold her for not eating enough, for getting hurt, for making him worry, and for leaving Ishida's side.

Didn't she know she had to be careful, especially when she was the current representative for the United States, and when she was important to him?

How he wanted to say that to her, but he kept in mouth shut. It wasn't the time for that. Rukia just stared at him and for once, she did not protest how close they were or his outlandish behavior of carrying her. Rukia cast her eyes away, settled her forehead on his chest, and pressed her lips against his shoulder as she softly hummed to herself.

There were almost to his car, ten or so minutes away when Rukia asked him, "Why do you always look for me?" Ichigo glanced down at her, but said nothing. She continued in a soft tone, "When we met, in the hall, the library, the asthma incident, and now this. I do not understand. Why do you care so much?"

As she asked him this, she tried to understand it herself. She had acknowledged the feelings she held for the werewolf from the very beginning. She enjoyed their bantering, his company, his brash personality, and so much more that weird thumping in her chest whenever he touched her or said her name. She felt something for him, and she knew it was more than the average crush or admiration that Momo usually goes off on a tangent about.

There was something deeper between the two of them. She wasn't sure what it was, but she had a vague idea what it meant to her. "_How revolting_," she thought as she stared right into the chest of her savior. To have such thoughts were demeaning to her bitter personage.

The amber eyes she always dreamt of, she knew who they belonged to. If it wasn't for her habit of wanting to connect the dots, Rukia was sure she would have been oblivious that Ichigo was the person she was dreaming of all those nights in Washington D.C. She now regretted connecting those dots and finding the truth for it hurt so much to know what will never be. Staying here by his side was pleasant–wonderful really–but it was a distraction for her future. It was turmoil for her soul as well.

She had no right to be in his arms, in his life after everything she had done to get where she was today and everything she was going to do in the future. Rukia's eyes fluttered closed as she tried to think clearly through the cloud of distortion in her head. Why was she even thinking about this? He probably doesn't even feel the same. She wanted to blame her sickness but that was a too cowardly excuse to use. It was then, the thoughts of her sickness, every single one of them, gave her another reason as to why she shouldn't be here with Ichigo.

She was sick.

She had one of the weakest hearts in medical history according to some human doctors that were amazed that she was still alive. Being with Ichigo, she felt stronger than ever, and at the same time, she felt as if her body could give out as any moment. She wasn't fit to be his mate. The air inside of her was sucked out at the sudden thought. "_Mate?_" What was she thinking? Embarrassed, her face turned red and she burrowed herself deeper in Ichigo's chest.

Such things.

Why was she hoping for such things when she wasn't even good enough to fall for him. Taking a slight risk, she looked at him through her lashes. Many times had she seen werewolves in this form and they all mostly looked the same. Some may be taller, thicker, or broader. Different tints of fur that consist of red, white, black, or grey. She always did have a hard time telling who was who, but she was confident enough to know that she wouldn't mistake Ichigo for anyone else.

Even if his human form looked nothing like the form he has right now, there would always be one trait that she couldn't mistake with another: his eyes. No matter how many humans or Others Rukia had met with the same shade of amber eyes like his. They would never match up to his passion, determination, and strength that he projected. It was an unfair advantage he had, an advantage that made her cheeks flush and hands sweat slight underneath her gloves.

For whenever she was near him, she could feel his power run through her.

Another glaring reason why she shouldn't feel this way for him: she wasn't strong enough. Rukia smiled bitterly at herself and hoped sooner or later Kurosaki Ichigo would find someone that could measure up to him, stand by his side. He deserved the happiness that she always wished to have.

"_How pathetic_," Rukia nagged to herself pitifully, "_I am a Kuchiki. Nothing should touch me. Nothing. Absolutely nothing._" She chimed to herself as she begged her heart to stop fluttering nervously, her eyes to stop stinging, and her cheeks to stop getting rosy because how he was holding her. How his scent was engulfing her in its warm embrace. "_Close it off. Focus. Focus. This life that I wish for does not belong to me. _"

Ichigo felt her unease and gripped her hard enough that she was caught off guard and looked at him again. Her eyes were back to their original seriousness, cold and closed off to the world. He didn't worry about that. With a bit of affection and annoyance from him, he could warm and open them up again. Those inviting eyes, they belong only to him. He was the only one that could give them light after being in the dark for so long.

He wondered if she was going to continue to probe him with her question, but she didn't. Instead, she kept quiet and never brought it up again. Still, the question ringed in his ears and it was hard not to answer. He wanted to tell her what he was truly feeling, but not here. Not in this pathway where he could still smell the blood coming from the sores of her feet, the gash on her forehead, and the cut on her arm.

He feared that he might say too much and scare the poor girl. Taking the chance to establish what they were or what he wanted them to be might have her either running away or agreeing to it because she felt indebted to him. She was complicated and defensive, tough and resourceful, and selfless with a low sense of self-worth.

And he wanted her all for himself. He met many people in his life and Ichigo never wanted anyone or anything more than the woman that was in his arms right now.

He wasn't sure how he could tell her that; but he knew that he was in love with her.

Out of the woods, the night didn't allow Rukia to see anything but shades of darkness. Nonetheless, she felt when he shifted. From his large were-form, she felt his muscles and bones shrink and mold back into place. The difference in size of Ichigo in his were-form and human form were quite different, but she still felt small in his human arms.

She noticed the street lights and a car parked on the side walk. As they got closer to it, she realized it was his. Ichigo opened the back door with one arm as he gripped Rukia's body securely with his other. Her arms were around in his neck, and when he placed her inside the car, she wouldn't let go.

With one of his hands, he brought his hand behind his neck and laced his fingers with hers. It took her a moment before she let go in shocked embarrassment and settled in the seat. Her head facing the direction he wasn't standing at. "Aren't you cold?" She asked him after he turned the car on, letting the vehicle breath and heat up.

Ichigo looked down to himself, fully naked except for his ruin pants, and shook his head at her. "I'm a lupine, I'm never cold." He stated with a teasing smile, "I'm pretty sure you weren't cold either when I was holding you."

"What an improper thing to say." She muttered, cheeks were still rosy and she told herself it was because of the warmth that the inside of the car now had.

"You asked, sweetheart." He responded as he opened his trunk to get a cloth, a sweater, and a first aid kit out. Placing each item in the back seat with Rukia, he closed the trunk after taking another glance inside and got in the car with her.

In the back seat, Ichigo noticed that Rukia had a little jar resting in the palm of her hands. It was open and there was a small bit of it on the tips of her fingers. "Show me where he hurt you," She demanded and Ichigo gave her a questioning look that she glared at. "Do not give me that look, Ichigo. Were you not paying any attention during the meetings?"

He pretended he knew what she was talking about and showed her his arm. He wasn't sure why she wanted his arm at first, but when he saw his wound and how black it was he remembered. Espadas have large amount of poison in their weapons when they attacked and wounds that were infected and not treated will lead to death.

"Fuck. I forgot 'bout that." Rukia sighed at that and placed the ointment on his wounds, all of them.

As she smoothed the cream over his cuts, she stopped and looked at the familiar streaks of black lines on his upper bicep. "A tattoo?" Rukia arched a winged brow at him. "Never know you were the type."

Ichigo peered at the seven year old tattoo and shrugged. "It was an accident." He stated, "I was just entering the army when I got the tattoo, barely out of high school too."

She traced it with a curiosity, following the tribal lines that made a black sun flaring out, an outline of a swastika laid in the middle of it. "Was there a reason to why you got this symbol?" She asked.

"My dad came for a visit. Got me drunk and the next morning I knew, I woke up with ink done on my shoulder."

"You were quite reckless," She said and regretted doing so when he pulled his arm away and snarled.

"Then what's your reason, Rukia?" Ichigo brought her close to him, grabbing her on her uninjured arm and repeated the question. "What's your reason?"

Knowing that he was talking about her leaving Ishida's and almost getting killed, all she said as she looked straight into his eyes was, "Gut instinct." She expected almost any reaction except a cloth being gently placed against her forehead.

Ichigo cleaned her wound, getting rid as much as he could of the blood that covered the entire left half of her face. "Does it hurt?" He asked, and tipped her head to the side to get the blood that slid down her neck. It was warm, messy, and smelt of rusty metal. She answered with a no, before Ichigo placed a makeshift bandage on the wound. Rukia touched the side of her face that he just touched, wondering when he last touched her skin and when she actually read his thoughts. Far too long she thought as she heard him say, "Luckily, you're not going to need stitches." After making sure her bandage was secured properly on her head, he told her to relax. Ichigo told her that when they were back at his house, he wanted answers as to why she ventured out alone.

Knowing that she couldn't deny him when he was the one that came looking for her in the first place, Rukia knew she had to answer. It was only fair, wasn't it? The car ride was silent; Rukia had her feet resting beside her, and she was sucking on a witch herbal lollipop she bought a couple of days ago. She felt her wounds slowly healing and wondered if she would be able to walk by the Others Christmas Party later tonight. Glancing at the clock, it was already past one in the morning and it was officially Christmas Eve. She was still hungry and sleepy. Hoping her body didn't shut down soon, she kept sucking on her lollipop with solemn eyes.

Rukia noticed her feet had stopped bleeding and sighed in relief. She was momentarily surprised when Ichigo spoke after long minutes of silence. "Because I want to," He said to her and she shifted her eyes to Ichigo. He looked back at her as well. "I look for you because I want to and that's all I'm saying for now, got it?"

"…got it."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ichigo was sure this had been one of his many fantasies whenever he thought about bringing Rukia to his home. However, with the recent circumstances, Ichigo knew this particular incident wasn't his main focus. Getting Rukia to his home was easy enough, calling Ishida and informing him that Rukia was safe was also easy. Having Rukia completely naked on his bed with the exception of her panties wasn't easy.

However, the only thing keeping him from sexually harassing her were the infected scratches she had on her waist. The muddy inkiness of the wound was disgusting, swarming under her skin, and spreading slowly. He felt guilty for the pain he was about to put her through.

"Get rid of that face you have," She responded sternly, or as sternly as she could be when she was naked and defenseless before Ichigo. She was lying on her stomach, facing away from him to hide her blush. She tried almost everything to keep her thoughts off of this inappropriate arrangement. Nonetheless, there was nothing that could be done. She needed help, and he quickly agreed to help. "It was my fault for provoking him and getting caught off-guard."

"Still," Ichigo said as he opened the little jar of medicine, "I was there to protect you, and instead _I _was the one that got protected." He took some of the medicine she applied on him earlier onto his own fingers. "Now relax, this is going to hurt."

"What are you saying?" She growled lightly, "You did not even wince once when I–" She was caught off with a gasp and a choked cry as Ichigo rubbed the ointment on her wound. Because of that lollipop she was sucking on earlier, her wounds healed up quickly. The scratch on her arm disappeared, her feet weren't as bad as they were when he first saw them–she could now stand up without wincing at the pain, and the gash on her forehead was now pink healed skin.

"I'm a lupine. My amount of tolerance for pain is different from yours." Ichigo watched as the cloud of murk began to disperse. Luckily, the wound would heal completely, Ichigo felt tides of relief wash over him. He didn't think he would be able to handle reopening her wounds to get to the infected growth underneath. He didn't like to see her in pain. There were now only three long shallow cuts, none were bleeding and they felt warm under his fingertips.

She tried not to make a sound, but little whimpers would escape her from time to time. He suspected that the witch candy she ate helped with the size of the wound, but not with the black poison that spread across most of her lower back. The wound that Grimmjow gave her intensified the rage inside of him. The urge to finding that man, beat and torture him until he was dead coursed through Ichigo's blood. Knowing that she was in pain, and he couldn't do anything about it, made him feel useless.

Ichigo held Rukia as she trembled slightly, not knowing what else to do. She bit her lip to stop a cry that wanted to escape, and after minutes of the unexpected burn, she was panting slightly and breathing deeply. The ink from her back was almost gone, and Ichigo had a good grip on her uninjured waist. "That hurt more than I expected." Her voice was breathless.

"Sorry–" Ichigo began to say.

"For what?" She asked, cutting him off. "You have done nothing wrong, you fool. In fact, you have done more than enough." She tried to get up but couldn't with Ichigo's weight. "Ichi-"

"You're not getting up." Ichigo climbed over her form, one hand on her shoulder and the other rested beside her unharmed waist. "You're staying right here, under me." The limitation of his limbo was already at its boiling point. Every time she tried to escape him, his self-restraint disappeared. The desire that he had tried to kept at bay flared up until he knew its explosion was imminent. The bulge in his pants pulsed repeatedly as her fresh scent and soft skin pushed him further into a glorious abyss of anticipation. Knowing that this woman–his mate–was writhing beneath him in nothing more than lacy black panties drove him into completely insanity. He was still wearing his ripped pants, and how could he not attack her when she was only in panties?

He flipped her onto her back and his lips fell on one of her pert breasts. Realizing the true color of her nipples was a rosy light pink and not mulberry like he originally thought. His hands were hot and insistent on her body as he showed her what he wanted. When he pushed his groin into the sweet haven that rested between her thighs. "Tell me Rukia. If I kiss you in the morning, would you wake up?"

Rukia felt the stubble on his face rub against her skin as he spoke. Felt it scrap and tickle as he worked his tongue around her sensitive nipples. She liked how it felt when it passed over her skin, the rugged feeling of it was new and welcoming. It sent streams of coursing fire throughout her body. Delightful and whimsically in ways that she had to bite back moans whenever he tugged at her rosy peak with his teeth or touched her in places she never knew she had.

"What are you doing?" She whispered for some odd reason, "I am completely naked, and our current situation is…" Rukia faced him and stopped when she saw his hooded, desire-laden eyes. "Our current situation is…"

"Perfect." He finished for her, "Fucking perfect."

She couldn't agree more.

* * *

**_A/n: Anyways, I feel that this chapter could have been better. Not too happy about it. Feel as if there is a bunch of mistakes, but I'm not too sure how I can improve it and too lazy as well. Anyways, as a reminder, should I do a 30_Passion one-shot thing for Ichigo and Rukia, you decide/tell me by reviewing._**

_**Please review and enjoy your summer. ^^**_


	10. Chapter 9

_**A/n: Now…here is chapter 9. Earlier than usually mostly because I wrote this one faster than the other chapters. I don't know what else to say…but I was think about making my fic into a "series" type of fic. I have too many ideas I want to write down and I feel that I won't be able to write it all in this fic alone. **_

_**Tell me what you think. ^^**_

_**Well, here's Chapter 9. Enjoy.**_

**_Edit: oAo So, thank you _Shenhui** _****__who pointed out that I was missing some "dividers" in this chapter. So, I just place them there. Sorry for those who are thinking this is a new chapter. ^n^;_

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Touch**_

_It started with a touch, a simple touch that changed my world. _

_That vast horizon of opportunities that my mother gave me was gone, fading away into the ocean like a sinking boat, diminishing and dying into the mysterious ghost of the sea. I was restricted because of it, and I then began to feel scornful towards the power given to me. _

_It was never a delightful experience for me. _

_It was never a gift that I actually wanted. _

_At first, when I was a child, I thought it was an incredible ability given to me by God. After years of receiving my gift, I discovered it was actually a curse. _

_I started to avoid anyone and everyone. I isolated myself from the world. I hid myself behind my clothes and the books I had in my room–layers of clothing to cover my thoughts, and knowledge from books to hide the fragments of my unfulfilled life._

_I grew up with this notion. _

_Touching someone, skin-to-skin on purpose was a selfish thing I normally would not like to do, and I hate it even more when there is an accidental brush of skin. For even if I want to read someone's mind, I have no right to tread through the hearts of others, yet I still do, with a touch that is filled with the intent to know what they are thinking._

_What right do I have?_

_With every touch, I have to pay a price. Pain is the price I need to pay and because of that, I have the information forced into me. During those times, I learn that so many people are …disgusting. _

_They have vile thoughts, ones that make me red with anger and vomit in misery. Selfish, most were all selfish. Concern only over their greediest of things. When they could not see that beyond those wants, they already have the people and things that they should want. _

_They have freedom. Opportunity. Homes. Food on their table. Nice things. Someone that loves them._

_And yet, they still want more. They fail to realize that what they truly want is already there in their sights. I wonder why so many aim for their dream but stray off when they are a step away from it. It's so wasteful._

_Then again, I have no right to say that. I am no saint, I already know that._

_I am not someone that belongs in heaven. That dream became a lost cause the moment I was given the chance to break a rule of privacy and trust. I thought I was to be cursed forever. I could not be loved unless I was to suffer the pains of their minds and they suffer the pain of doubt. No one would want someone like me. Not even the selfish ones._

_Then, you touched me. _

_I am not going to lie. At first…it was painful. But during the few days that I began to know you better, I discovered that the more you touched me, the less pain I felt. I did experiment to see if it was going away with everyone or just you._

_And it was only you. _

_The person that I want to touch does not cause me pain while others do. I am not too sure why, I am not too sure what it means, but I do know that I want to touch you._

_It might be greedy of me to ask, but please…may I embrace you?_

_Just one__ touch from you makes me believe that there might be hope for someone like..._

_~o~o~o~o~_

"Me of all people?" Rukia mumbled to herself and made an annoyed huff, "Why are you not taking my answer seriously?" Rukia stared at the two pairs of eyes as she waited for her food in an Others' café. It was a quaint little place right at the corner of down town Karakura with two floors of plush and homey furniture. The first floor belonged to the humans of Karakura while the second floor belonged to the Others.

"O-oh we do. But, um…are you sure that nothing happened between you and Kurosaki-san last night?" Momo asked again. She fiddled with her purse strap while Rangiku stood behind her with a frown.

"Positive."

"Okay, no more B.S." Rangiku leaned forward, her hand slammed on the table. "Are you telling me that nothing–and I mean _nothing_–happened between you and that wolf?"

Rukia, with her dull gaze never leaving Rangiku's demanding stare, frowned at her and took a sip from her tea. "Nothing," She stated. "Now, that you two are done pestering me with this bothersome question. I suggest that you two leave to buy your dresses for tonight. It is Christmas Eve after all, so every store is going to be filled with last minute shoppers."

Rangiku huffed and folded her arms. "Fine, we're out, but next time...don't wonder off alone, Rukia. You made all of us worry and you know how I hate worrying."

Rukia forced a sheepish smile, "Quite sorry, I will try my best next time not to cause such trouble."

Momo sighed as she followed Rangiku out the corner café, "Please! Your first name should be 'trouble' Rukia-san. Also, we'll call Ishida and tell him you're alright." With a last wave to Rukia, both girls left feeling confused with Rukia's answer.

"Wolves don't lie about these things," Rangiku bit her lip and took another glance at the café as she and Momo left. "Just because nothing happened last night doesn't mean that Kurosaki was lying." She wasn't sure, but deep down she wished Rukia could confirm it for her. If Kuchiki Rukia was Kurosaki Ichigo's mate, "Then, I don't have to worry so much about her." Momo looked at Rangiku and tried to give a supporting smile. "I really hate worrying; it's a damper on my party mood."

~o~o~o~o~o~

All at once, both girls got into a taxi and were gone from her sight. Rukia's body uncoiled and melted into her seat while her face burned from the frank question they were asking. Of course she wouldn't confirm if something happened between her and Ichigo to them of all people. Those two girls like to gossip more than average teenage girl born and raised in Beverly Hills. Deep down Rukia wished she didn't need to lie to them and that it was true that something _didn't_ happened concerning her and the _beta_.

She should have learned by now that wishing gets her nowhere.

Looking down at her drink, Rukia fumbled with her spoon as she faintly remembered last night. There wasn't any kissing between them that involved their lips. There wasn't any actual "intercourse" either or any other type of penetration–there might have been if she didn't pass out minutes after they started. Nonetheless, there was plenty of licking, touching, biting, and grinding.

In the morning, or more like half an hour past noon, she woke up pressed against Ichigo's chest. Completely naked–she wasn't sure when she lost her panties–but despite her lack of clothing and her weeping core being positioned right above Ichigo's happy member, she wasn't sore and guessed she still had her virginity. She couldn't move an inch until Ichigo woke up minutes later. He, of course, wanted to finish what they began last night with an eager smirk on face.

Certain areas of her body were still sensitive from last night. She had a love bite on her shoulder that was hidden beneath a layer of soft silk hair and two bruises on each of her thighs that were in the shape of Ichigo's hands. She still had the faint feeling of his hands and mouth on her and she still felt Ichigo's own heated skin under her fingertips. The touch of his skin pressed up against hers, the protective hold he had on her and the sense of everything at being at peace was new and welcoming.

However, Rukia felt a stir in her heart when she thought about it, a nervous twitch whenever she thought of how she wished it lasted longer. Whatever possessed her to touch him? She wasn't sure if she should be pleased about it, but she knew she didn't regret doing those things with him. To touch someone that she actually enjoyed being with, and not read his mind or invade his deepest thoughts.

It excited her and made her just want to continue to have skin-to-skin contact with him.

Explore this lost notion.

"Here's your sandwich." Ichigo's gruff voice rumbled above her as he sat down across from her, their meals in his hands and she wondered if he was ever going to bring up last night because she sure as hell wasn't going to!

"Oh, thank you." Her food was set in front of her and her stomach hummed when she smelled the toasted ham and cheese. Luckily, her episode hadn't hit her yet; even so, she still felt the light headed and drowsy sensation fogging her mind. About to eat, she felt Ichigo's eyes on her and she looked up at him with a questioning look. "May I help you?"

Ichigo shook his head. There was a smirk on his face as he leaned back in his chair, "Nothing, just thinking about something." He noticed her blush and knew she was thinking about last night too. How could he not? Every time he inhaled her scent, he would breathe in his own since she was covered in it. She wouldn't know it, but he was sure almost every Other that was part of a were-branch could.

Last night–even if he had gotten nowhere near where he would've liked–gave him the push of motivation that he needed. Rukia was his mate_–_she was destined to be his, but that didn't mean she would stay with him. He didn't want to force her to accept him and last night he became aware of the fact that she wanted him as well. She welcomed his touch, answered his persistent licks and bites with pleasurable moans and sighs. Unlike their first encounter, Rukia didn't deny what was happening between the two of them. She embraced it even if she wasn't aware of it.

It pushed him. It gave him the courage to tell her everything_–_even if he didn't tell her then and there. In less than three weeks, they'd grown close and it felt as if he'd known her for years. Waking up next to her was almost like a dream–he thought he was still dreaming when he saw her glossy eyes peer up at him through her lashes. Then, she said his name and he remembered last night. Ah he remembered, he closed his eyes and opened them again to see if she was real.

If waking up with her was real.

And it was real. He saw her face, her eyes soft with sleep but wide with warmth. He couldn't describe it like he wanted to, but he felt his heart pounding against his chest and saw that everything except her had vanished.

It felt right. The world was at peace and they were at peace.

If he could, he would've frozen time at the exact moment. Everything was perfect at that moment. "Eat. Your wounds heal faster if you're not starving."

"I will," She answered, grabbing her sandwich and taking the largest bite she could. It was delicious, but then again, everything tasted delicious when one was starving. "Are you not going to ask me?"

Ichigo swallowed the food in his mouth, feeling it drop down into his stomach. It took him a moment to collect everything he wanted to say and decide to trash it and just say what he _wanted_ to say. "What the fuck happened last night?"

"Blunt as always," She whispered to herself as she straightened up and placed her hands on her lap. With a half-smile, she began to tell him what she was going through. "Well, the thing is I–" And the words stopped coming out of her mouth. Blinking, she tried to speak again, "What happened was…"

"What happened was…?" He pressed.

Stoically, she sat there and noticed she couldn't. The bubbling truth that she wanted to tell him was cooled down by gallons of water and she sat there. Staring straight into his eyes and simply did what her instinct told her to do, "I was curious." She lied, "Bored as well. I simply wanted to explore, and my gut told me to move, to discover, and so I did. There was not any real motive in my actions and I wished there was. It would have made things much clearer for me and for the Others as well."

"So, it was just luck?"

"Yes."

"The letter?"

Rukia pulled it out from her little bag that was tied around her jeans' loop, and presented to him. "I saw it and thought it might be important. Perhaps a reason as to why I had a sudden urge to go to that location and why the Espada were there as well. The words written on the letter are in the form of a riddle and I cannot solve it."

"A riddle you can't solve?" Ichigo smirked at her as he took the crumpled paper out of the envelope. "Must be a bitch," He muttered.

"It certainly is…difficult. I do believe the answer is a location; it gives off the elements of one. I simply do not know where it is." At least she could tell him some truth. Underneath the table, hidden from his eyes, her hands were shaking. It almost felt as if she had a gun pointed to her head as she spoke. "We will present it to the Council of the Others later tonight, before the Christmas party."

Not wanting to damage the already tattered letter, Ichigo handed it back to her with a shrug. He only took a glance over the printed words on the paper and felt lost. He was never good with word games, "Your wounds. How are they?"

Rukia lift a brow at him, "They are perfectly fine. You were there in the morning to patch me up or do you not remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. How could I forget?" He grumbled that last part. Of course he remembered. She only put on her bra and panties because of the location of her wounds. But his smirking face faded away when he thought about how hurt she was the night before. "Why didn't you call me?" Rukia's grin fell as she saw an angry glint in Ichigo's eyes.

The playfulness between the two collapsed in front of her when a scowl appeared on his face and his voice became rigid. "If you were fucking bored, why didn't you call me when you wanted to go all Lewis and Clark on my ass?" He didn't know why he was getting angry, but he felt that she needed to know how livid he was, how distraught he felt. Why couldn't she see he cared about her?

"Rukia, you could've died! What would have happened if I wasn't there to protect you?" His voice grew louder. She felt the dangerous territory she was stepping to and naturally her own defensive mask went up. "Your little fucking adventure may have ended your life, Rukia! You can't leave whenever you want to, without fuckin' saying anything to fuckin' anyone!

"You're an important person! You can't be selfish when it comes to your life, because there are plenty of people depending on your answers. On your decisions! Do you know how fucking terrifying it was to hear you were missing? Do you know how hard it was to fuckin' find you! Don't you trust me enough to at least call me?"

His hands slamming onto the table echoed throughout the shop. Many Others were looking at them, probably wondering what was going on and hoping for something exciting to lighten their boring lives. Ichigo had his teeth bared and his eyebrows were knitted together, waiting for her response. Standing up as well, she declared harshly and coldly, "This is not the time or the place for this discussion, but I will still answer your question. Truthfully, no, I do not trust you enough."

She then left the café, with her dignity still intact somehow and with Ichigo trailing her. "Don't you walk away from me, Rukia!"

"And why should I not?" Rukia kept her steps long and filled of purpose. "I do not need to be lectured or scolded as if I am a child from the likes of you." She growled out to him when he grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Let me go."

"No." Ichigo kept his hold, "I want to know why."

"Do you want or need to know?" She asked as she tried to pull her arm free, "Actually, it does not matter, I will still not tell you why." Rukia noticed Ichigo lace his hand with hers. "Let go." She repeated but instead she was pulled closer to him.

Ichigo wanted to howl at her stubbornness but instead dragged her into a nearby corner, away from the owl eyes of the world. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Mostly because you are acting like an oversized egomaniac idiot," She retorted, desperately trying to keep herself calm and collected. "You do not control my every action."

"Why are you fucking stubborn?" He asked, trapping her against the wall of whichever building they were hiding behind.

"Same with you, why are you so persistent?"

Her hand was still captive in his as his chest heaved, "I'm not trying to control your life." He said as he wrapped an arm around her waist, "I'm your partner. I want you to know that you can depend on me."

Looking away from him, she wondered how she could be so angry with him in one moment and then in the next, she was speaking to him about such an intimate issue. "I cannot depend on you. I cannot trust you."

"Why's that, sweetheart?" There was that causal and intimate tone of his again, the one that he would only use with her. The tone that wormed its way through her walls and made her feel like a blushing school girl.

Ichigo brought his forehead down, resting it against hers and finally she answered after a long pause. "How am I able to trust you, when I am not even able to trust myself?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

It was the night of Christmas Eve and Rukia expected many things to happen, good or bad. She got ready like she always did: she took her time to get dressed, applied a bit of make-up, and fixed her hair.

She had been to so many parties in her life that it felt as if it was now a part of her daily routine. She would dress up with the sole intent of seeming perfect in order to impress her father's associates, who were now her associates. It was a common experience that she was bored with and preferred not to deal with for the rest of her life.

The silence in her room was broken with a knock at the door. It was a soft tapping, one that twisted and twirled into her room and into her ear, questioning but purposeful. Rukia didn't recognize who was knocking at her door. At first she waited to see if whoever was knocking might have gotten the wrong hotel room, but she heard the rapping and tapping at her door again. As she got up to see who it was, she heard an unexpected voice calling to her. "Miss Rukia, it is Unohana…is it alright if I enter?"

"Mrs. Unohana?" Rukia inquired as she rushed forward to the door and peered through the peephole to confirm if it was true. Unlocking the many locks she had placed on her door, Rukia opened the door and welcomed the United Kingdom's representative in her room. "Please, do come in." Rukia directed the representative to the living room as she closed her door. "Do you wish to drink or eat something? I do have black tea in the kitchen." Rukia offered as she thought if she had anything else worth offering.

"No, it is fine, Miss Rukia. I just had some tea a few moments ago." She said pleasantly as she fixed her long braided hair and smoothed out her lovely shimmering sliver dress as she sat down. "I simply came up here for a chat before the party starts–if you do not mind." There was a stir of uneasiness in the representative's eye, Rukia saw it wanting to ignite and burst into a wild fire.

"Of course not, I was just wondering to what I owe the pleasure of having your company here tonight." Rukia was sincere, she truly was, but her pseudo-smile was hard to keep on her face. To be pleasant to everyone–even to someone she liked–was an annoyance merely because of her upbringing. As a child she was taught to only have three types of looks on her face when dealing with someone, no matter who they were: sincerity, confidence, and impassivity…Nothing more and nothing less.

Her nanny must be rolling in her grave–if she was dead–seeing Rukia frowning before someone as philosophical as Mrs. Unohana. "What I am going to tell you is to be a kept secret." The woman in front of Rukia placed her hands on her lap and looked directly to Rukia's eyes. "What I am about to tell you, Miss Rukia, must never be discussed outside this room with someone who you do not trust with your life."

"_Which narrows down to no one," _Rukia brushed her loose hair away from her face and felt the silky black locks curve around her ear as nausea curled deep in the pit of her stomach. "And, what secret may that be?" Gladly, she now had a reason not to smile. "It must be something of great importance if you are not willing to inform us during the Others' meeting."

"Such a sharp girl," She said seriously with a smile. "The reason why I did not confide in the Others is because I do not trust all of them. I am quite a paranoid changeling, you see. " Rukia now remembered that Mrs. Unohana was a changeling whose parents had switched her at birth for a human child. If Rukia recalled, Mrs. Unohana could shape shift into almost anything_–_even water or fire.

Rukia hid her surprise carefully when she remembered a part of the riddle that was somehow connected to Unohana:

_An issue of a Jacobins who nuptial a fire_

_Ritual held at a curved inlet founded by a hound_

_A frame of a stance that behold a glow when the glorious star is cease_

Rukia raised a brow at the woman, and then lightly sat down across from the British representative while she took off her gloves. She needed to confirm her suspicion. "Miss Rukia, there is a great deal of information I wish to reveal to you, yet cannot for it would be too dangerous."

"Why would it be dangerous?"

"As you know, the Espadas are trying to start a war. The reason behind it might not be too clear, but we–some other respectful representatives and I–have some theories as to why. I will only tell you a few of our theories."

Rukia was about to speak when the clock began to chime. Slowly the clock struck and echoed throughout the room: Time was always moving. "Why are you telling me, of all people? This does not involve me."

Unohana was looking at the grandfather clock on the far south wall as well, "But it does involve you, Miss Rukia. Why else would I want to inform you?" Rukia didn't answer and Unohana took this as a sign to continue talking. "Your recent adventure…I believe it was fate that made you move your feet to that garden."

"_It was not fate; God is not so purposeful when it involves me. It was the letter I found in the book that drove me to the discovery._" Rukia thought as she leaned back in her seat, tucked one leg behind the other and voiced her distaste. "I do not believe in fate nor destiny; I found the garden purely by coincidence."

"Nothing in the world is a coincidence, everything is fated. You finding the garden was fate's doing, it is a sign."

"A sign of what–if you do not mind me asking?" Rukia grew tired of this conversation. She wasn't sure what Unohana wanted but it felt as if she was telling her that her life held some level of importance.

"You may not believe me, or wish to not believe me, but Miss Rukia…You were placed on this earth for an important reason, a reason which I cannot tell you directly. Even so, you need to listen to me: you need to live, you need to survive and you need to finish your quest."

"How can I finish a quest that I have not started?"

"You started it the moment you took your first breath into this world."

"You are mad…" Sighing softly, Rukia shook her head, not wanting to hear it. She wanted to walk away, place her hands on her ears and pretend that Unohana wasn't speaking to her. "You do not know what you are saying. I am your average nymph that happened to lose a mother at a young age and is the daughter of a powerful wizard_–_Nothing more, nothing less." She said sternly.

"Your self-worth is clouded, Miss Rukia." Unohana said as she slanted forward and captured Rukia's hands. "You are an angel and you need to realize this. Your life is worth more than all the money in the world, than all the humans, animals, and Others' lives." Moving back to her seat Unohana cleared her throat, "Now, a theory I would like to tell you is this," Rukia's head was starting to hurt and her anger was difficult to keep in check, but she tried to listen as closely as she could to Unohana's soft voice while trying to store the thoughts that were given to her. "Miss Rukia, we believe that the Espadas want you."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Damn."

Rukia turned around and gave an aloof smile to the tall _beta _wolf. "Your vast amount of vocabulary never ceases to amaze me, Ichigo."

With a smirk on his roughish face, Ichigo walked up to her. "It was a compliment," He grabbed a piece of her fallen silky hair and tried to bring it to his lips.

"Was it now?" Rukia snatched her hair away from his hand and moved towards a less crowed corner, where there was an open window sill which allowed collections of breezes to flow freely into the room. It blew the dark purple curtains up to touch the frosted cake ceiling. The wind was as cold as ever but since there was no one around, then no one really bothered to care. The corner was isolated from the rest of the party and it gave her a chance to relax her facial muscles, "You do know how to make a woman feel special."

"Only you, sweet heart," Ichigo had her cornered up against the shadowy, cherry red walls. She propped herself against the wall and had an impish grin on her red tinted lips. "You're beautiful."

"Beautiful? How so? I am rather sure I am not naked at the moment," Rukia replied with her grin firmly in place.

Ichigo blushed but didn't dare look away. He liked this side of her, where she was playful and innocently mischievous. "I said I was sorry about that," He was referring to the first time they met.

Rukia's short sparks of laughter brought him back as he remembered the first time he told her she was beautiful and it was when they saw each other up on the roof. He found it strange, however, that she still talked to him even after he almost tried to force himself on her. He brought it up once and she brushed it off with her logical answer of, "_Women can tell when someone is being serious, and you were not serious the first time we met. It was more like you were trying to tell me something_." Then again, Rukia was a weird woman.

"I'm not lying though, You're beautiful." Ichigo's eyes soften when she looked up at him and he noticed his heart skip a beat, again.

Rukia snatched her hair back from Ichigo's hand once more and threaded her fingers though the area he just touched, "So that is the reason why you cannot take your eyes off of me?" Ichigo was stunned by her bold statement_–_caught off guard_–_and tried to say something, but instead looked like a fish with his mouth opening and closing repeatedly. "Never knew you were so articulate, Ichigo."

It took him a moment, but he caught himself and cornered her against the wall again. "I prefer to say that I have a roguish charm."

"And I believe someone is looking for you."

Ichigo smirked at her, thinking it was another trick to have him distracted. So when she had her impassive façade on her face again and pointed with her dainty finger, he was pretty confused. "Huh?"

"Behind you, oh great detective."

Grudgingly, Ichigo turned his head and scowled when he saw a grinning Isshin standing there. "What do you want, old man?"

Isshin gave a thumb's up, "To give you daddy's approval!"

"Old man!" Ichigo had growled out, and Rukia took the chance to duck under Ichigo's arm once more and walked over to Isshin.

"Do not speak so ill towards your father, Ichigo." Rukia scolded before she was surprisingly embraced by the _alpha_. "Kurosaki-san…?"

"Oh! You treat me so well, Rukia-chan!" Rukia's feet glided over the marble floor as she was hugged and began to struggle while Isshin avoided Ichigo's invading hands, "Why so greedy, my son?"

"Let her go, old man, you're suffocating her!" Ichigo growled out while Isshin frowned and protested a bit more until Rukia pleaded with the _alpha _to let her go. She was filled with relief when her feet touched the floor of the ball room. Both she and Ichigo ignored Isshin who was sniffling and crying at letting her go. Cautiously, she wondered why the two male Kurosaki's were so very affectionate and she wondered if the two other family members–sisters, if she remembered correctly–were as well.

"You just want her all for yourself, don't you, you ungrateful son." Isshin cried out.

"Shut your mouth old man! Seriously, I sometimes wonder what granddad was thinking when he left you in charge of the pack!"

"The same thing your son will be wondering when you become _alpha_!" Isshin took a hold of Ichigo's collar and began to drag him away from Rukia. "Now, come on. I know you would prefer to stare at Rukia-chan all day–and possibly have her bare your children–but I need you for a moment!" While he dragged a pissed Ichigo off, Isshin turned and waved to her. "I'll bring him back later, third daughter!"

Unsure of what was happening, Rukia simply blushed red at the Isshin's proposal of her having Ichigo's child and slowly waved back as well. "Cheerio…"

"Cheerio?" A voice behind her repeated, "Are you from England or something?"

As Rukia turned around she heard another voice, much softer than the first. "Don't be so rude, Karin."

Both girls were younger than her she noticed, even if both were taller than her by two or three inches. The one called Karin was a bit taller than the other, however, and had murky black hair and her bored, brown eyes were lovely. She was pretty, Rukia realized once they both got closer to her. Karin was slender, dressed comfortably in a simple navy blue dress and wore no make-up at all. "I wasn't tryin' to be rude, Yuzu, I was askin' a question." She retorted with a dull voice that was stern yet pleasant.

The one named Yuzu was more timid and soft spoken. Her hair was a light sandy brown, but like Karin, she was also quite lean. Unlike her, however, Yuzu wore a light pink dress, modest and frilly, and had sheer layers of make-up on. What caught Rukia's attention; however, were her eyes that were a light amber color. "Still, Karin. She might get the wrong impression."

"Oh, there are no worries about that. I have spent most of my time in Japan with your brother and he is no easy person–I mean werewolf–to get along with." Rukia said graciously, "And no, I was born in America but moved to England in my younger years until I moved back to the States again." Rukia was about to reach her hand out when she remembered this was Japan and instead, bowed down slightly, "You two must be Kurosaki-san's twin daughters, I am Kuchiki Rukia. It is a pleasure to meet you two."

Yuzu flustered while Karin rolled her eyes. "You don't need to bow, Rukia-nee." Karin said as Yuzu nod firmly.

"She's right, Rukia-nee, there's no need to be formal with us." Rukia was caught off guard with the affectionate way they were addressing her. She wanted to correct them by saying she wasn't their sister but instead felt that it would have been rude. "I mean, from now on, we're going to be family so there isn't a need to be formal with us, right. Especially when we have a father like daddy and a brother like Ichigo."

Yuzu continued to talk with Rukia as Karin watched the woman that was covered with her brother's scent. Karin confirmed that even if Rukia wasn't as well-endowed as Inoue or that blond American she saw earlier, Kuchiki Rukia was truly beautiful.

The woman that had captured her brother's interest was smaller and shorter than her and her sister, Yuzu, but there was no mistake when it came to Rukia's age. As young as she looked, Rukia still held an air of wisdom, one that defined and secured her appealing characteristics the same way her eyes did for her looks.

She was built small and lithe and was very feminine. Her dress was a dark red that highlighted her onyx hair. Profound blue eyes that were as vivid as the flexing dark ocean sky and hypnotizing like a single sparkler in a dark bleak forest. "How?" Was all she could ask.

Karin's single word stopped Yuzu from talking and made Rukia turn towards the older twin, "Is there something that you wish to ask me, Karin?"

Rukia had given Karin a jaded smile with her sapphire eyes, rich with contentment but also filled with bitter sweetness. The way she said her name reminded Karin of her mother for some reason, which was weird for her since Rukia didn't really reminded Karin anything of her mother. No, her mother was a beauty of the day while Rukia was a beauty of night. Her mother was more energetic and childish while Rukia was more calm and levelheaded. But right then and there, the way she said her name_–_the tone of it was motherly, sounding concerned for some reason when they only met a few minutes ago.

Her presence made Karin yearn for her childhood memento that her mother gave her, a stuffed brown bear named Honey. It made her light and shy for an odd reason, and she wanted to ignore those feelings and explore them at the same time. "I want to know how Ichi-nii made you fall for him?"

That was when the rosy color in Rukia's cheeks drained and her eyes widened as if she saw the world for the first time. Her mouth hung open, unsure of what to say until she stuttered out, "C-can you repeat that once more, please?"

Karin smirked at Rukia's embarrassed state and tilted forward slightly, "What moves did Ichi-nii put on you to make you fall for him?"

Rukia's eyes fluttered unconfidently as she looked everywhere but where Karin stood with an excited Yuzu standing beside her. "Oh yes! Please Rukia-nee! Tell us how you and Ichi-nii met and fell in love!"

"In…in love?" Like a frightened rabbit, Rukia was frozen to her spot. "We are nothing more than friends!" Her face gained color when her voice subtly cracked, "W-where would you get such an idea from!"

Both girls answered at the same time, Karin with a smirk and Yuzu with a smile. "From you!"

Rukia shocked and replied in a whisper, "When and where did I ever tell you such a lie? I cannot even recall a single day that I have met you two."

Pushing her sandy brown hair out of her eyes, Yuzu looked amused at Rukia's question. "Don't you remember Rukia-nee? We're lupines, we have sensitive noses."

"And…what does that have to do with anything?" Rukia was skeptical at Yuzu's explanation. "What does a werewolf's nose had to do with anything?"

"You're covered in our brother's scent."

There was silence, a long silence where Rukia stared and stared at the twins in front of her in a lost gaze. She felt lightheaded, her stomach was tugging at her to obtain more food, and her mind was sending signals that it was sleepy. A nap sounded nice at the moment for Rukia, where she could sleep for days without a worry of discussing and thinking about her relationship with Ichigo. A relationship that should not even be considered a "romantic" one.

Oh sweet Lord, she was tired. The only reason she was awake was because she wanted to at least celebrate Christmas with someone unlike last year when she was in her room studying all alone. She was even hoping to celebrate it with Ichigo if she could.

Rukia tried to calm down her flushed face and ignored her last thought as she cleared her throat. "Well…you two are quite mistaken. For your brother and I have no such interest with each other. In fact, we are not in a type of relationship that involves us progressing into a type a relationship that involves 'love.'"

Karin sniffed, not buying Rukia's answer as Yuzu looked crescent fallen. "Okay, we'll believe that for now." Karin said with a bored look in her eyes.

"What do you mean, 'for now' Karin?"

"Anyways, we'll catch you around, Rukia-nee." Karin dragged Yuzu behind her as she waved to a rooted Rukia.

"Wait! What did you mean?" Rukia called out with her hand stretch out in front of her. "Wait!" Instead, the two girls kept on walking, Karin turned around with a smirk on her face.

"It's exactly what you think it means!" She shouted back.

"I guess my hope for them being at least somewhat normal is now tarnished." Rukia stood there in the middle of the floor staring at where the twin girls disappeared. Such things were meaningless for someone like her. Especially after what she discovered what Unohana had been trying to hide.

A romantic relationship with Ichigo was ridiculous and she felt foolish that those simple thoughts brought butterflies in her stomach. Her face felt warm and she decided to walk away from where she stood quickly, before someone saw her. There was so much for her to do, and no matter how many times she told herself not to get distracted with Ichigo, she continued to get distracted. Ichigo's fire was so addicting. She could forget almost everything whenever she was with him. He brought out a side of her she never knew she had.

Rukia couldn't stand the stuffy room_–_it reeked of cloying scents and food. She played with her gloves as she made her way through streams of Others; her long hair tickled her exposed shoulders and upper back. Goose bumps covered her body once she was outside where it was snowing and the wind was cold.

She pulled out her necklace and toyed with it a bit with a frown. She pushed the little button that revealed the roman numerals.

"_If you are not careful, you are going to die. There are people after your life, Miss Rukia. You need to listen carefully. Your destiny has been set in stone, but that does not mean someone cannot get in the way of it._"

"You cannot die," Rukia recited the last words Unohana told her before Rukia asked the older woman to leave her sight. "What does she know?" Rukia snapped her locket shut and began to walk around the patio. "Even if I wanted to die, I will not. Only cowards kill themselves. Only important people that are worth being killed will be killed. I have no purpose here, thus, I will not get killed."

With every word she said, it felt like a stab to her gut. She felt she was telling the truth yet it felt like a lie at the same time. She wasn't suicidal. She, like many others, was scared to face death. She didn't want to die but she felt if she did…it would've been fine. To her, it would have been fine, but not with him.

She also pondered why she thought she could handle this, being here in Japan as a representative. Was she so mad with the thirst of approval that she'd forgotten her role? And worse of all, "Why the hell are you outside?" She was starting to fall in love. "You want to get sick?"

Ah, she felt Ichigo's warmth again. Hopefully, she one day could produce her own to share with him.

_**A/N: So... I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you all are not disappointed that there was no lemon and I hope that you all will review. **_

_**Please and thank you!**_


	11. Chapter 10

_**A/N: **__**Whoo! Early release! ^^ I been writing a lot during the summer vacation, and I decided that I will release either at the end of the month or when I'm at least two chapters ahead. **_

_**Ah, and a thank you to everyone who review and favorite my fic. I'm flatter and reviews just make me want to write more! XD**_

_**Please enjoy this new chapter!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 10**_

_**Fire**_

_I can feel it._

_It licks my hand, curls around my body and brings the shadows to life. It sways and twirls in the wind, wanting to consume the air itself. It has the need to breathe and expand its embrace. Crackling and snapping, it makes itself known; wanting to bring everyone's attention to it. Fills the air with its smog, screeches its wants and reaches out to the heavens. _

"_Do not ignore me," It murmurs._

"_Know who is causing this," It whispers._

"_Let me live," It says._

"_I shall destroy everything in my way!" It yells._

_So, I stand here. Looking at the creature before me as it tries to survive. As it eats away at everything around it, uncontrollable and wild and furious at the world; and yet it needs the world to live and the world needs it to live. _

_It's like an abandoned child. A wounded animal that lashes at everyone around it. And I can feel it. As it surrounds me angrily, it reminds me that I am not so useless. "Lacrima fluctus," I heard you say once._

_Then, from the ashes, there was once a city, from the city will bloom a life that is precious._

_I must protect it._

_I must train it._

_I must nurture it._

_I don't want to burn, at least not yet._

~o~o~o~o~

"No, I am not cold. In fact, I love the cold." She answered, "I was an infant born in the winter, so I will not get sick."

"Really now?" Ichigo grunted as he placed his heavy coat over her shoulders and she tugged it closer to her body.

"Besides, it smelled revolting in there and I needed some fresh air." She said in a faint voice.

"Then stand next to an open window, sweetheart." Ichigo's voice was firm and heated as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her away. "Follow me," He whispered into her ear.

"Only because I have nothing better to do," She teased sarcastically.

They kept walking, never stirring away from the pavement until they entered the indoor garden. Unlike the green house that was on the roof, this one was nicer, cleaner and spotless. There weren't any blooming flowers, no colors except for the greens of the many plants that lived and thrived there. However, there was a fountain that gently poured overflowing water into its basin that was filled with fishes. Bright orange, plum purple, and glowing yellow koi fishes swam peacefully in the base of the fountain.

Inside the indoor garden, it was warmer but still chilly when compared to the ballroom in the hotel. Ichigo led her to the fountain and from there she stood as snow drifted outside. There were some flakes on Rukia's hair that he brushed away with a toothy grin.

He sat down on the wide edge of the fountain, pulling her down next to him with his arm around her shoulders, making her blush at the sudden closeness between the two of them. "Warm?"

"Quiet, you savage caveman." She bit back as she tried to think of anything that would make her flushed face pale again.

"Like you don't like it."

"I do not." Rukia felt her body quivered and cursed silently to herself as he chuckled at her and she scowled at him. "Are you laughing at me?"

Ichigo grinned into her hair and nodded, "Course, what else would I be laughing 'bout?"

She scoffed at him, "How about your hair?"

"Watch it."

"Or you will do what?" She challenged. Even if she was warm, she wouldn't admit it to him. His ego was already large enough as it was and it wasn't her fault that it was so cold. Sure, she liked the cold and winter itself, but that changed whenever she was with Ichigo. This wolf bathed her in so much lupine warmth that her body got out of tune with the winter weather. Yes, it was entirely his fault–his fault that she was becoming so attached to him and it was his fault that she was slowly falling for him.

He was about to retort when she saw something by his side, peeking under his coat. "What is that?" She asked.

Ichigo slammed his hand on it and looked as if he was caught stealing. "It's…um." He was flustered and looked around for an excuse to not give an explanation to her. At the end, he sighed and dropped it on her lap. "Merry Christmas," He grumbled with a crooked smile.

At first, she just wondered how she didn't notice the gift in the first place; it was as if it appeared out of thin air. Yet she smiled and decided not to think about it. "It is not even Christmas yet." She responded halfheartedly as she grabbed the present on her lap. It was covered in a red wrapping paper; there was a white bow on it and her name written on it. "You write like a boy."

"I think you mean 'like a man,'"

Rukia muffled her laughter when she saw the look on Ichigo's face and smiled, "Why did you get me something? What if I have nothing for you?"

"Doesn't matter," He stated as he felt his stomach quiver at her smile. "I got it for you only because I wanted to." He smiled and nudged her to open it. "Open it, Rukia." He whispered in her ear as she shuddered and another flush rushed to her cheeks.

She noticed she was blushing an awful lot today. She might as well give up hiding it, "You know how to make a girl feel special." She said once more, her eyes falling onto the gift.

"Only you, Rukia."

Tugging at the corner of her gift, she smiled as the paper ripped slightly. She wasn't quite sure what to do, so she did as she was told. She opened her gift. Not knowing what to expect, she had not even thought about receiving a gift or what she wanted for Christmas. He never asked her and neither did anyone else.

So, there it was on her lap. Uncovered and solid, not making a sound when she lifted it up and ran her fingers over it. It was a book, nice and new, hardcover and the color of rich earth brown. "A novel," She said and she read the title page, "No, a fairytale."

"Every time I see you, you have a book in your hands and it's always a nonfiction book or one of those books that you study in school." Ichigo had wrapped an arm around Rukia's waist, wanting to get as close to her as possible. "And I thought, 'why not get her a fairytale?' so, here it is."

"_Little Red Riding Hood_, how ironic," Rukia smirked as she remembered her dress was red and she had a wolf right next to her. "I…I never owned a fairytale before." She read the title once more, the gleaming dull golden letters presenting themselves with pride.

"Well…now you do, sweetheart."

"I thought I told you to not call me that anymore." She whispered feebly. The book might have been something simple and childish to many people. Nevertheless, the weight of it in Rukia's hands reminded her of her lost childhood.

Sure, she knew the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but she never actually read it. She was told of it by Momo many years ago, and Rukia always wanted her own copy of the book but was never allowed to buy one. Her father always told her that fairy tales were a waste of time, the same with other books that did not cause her to think nor had a significant life lesson.

Books had been her life; she grew up with them and was pretty sure she was going to die with them. Her only dream was to read more than the books that her father approved. This book, as childish as it was, was perfect in her eyes. It was simple and lovely and a change of pace in her life: a chance to start anew.

Rukia shifted a bit in her seat, her arms wrapped around her book and gave a smile to Ichigo when he tried to pull her closer. "Now, now. Do you not want your Christmas present?"

"You actually got me somethin'?" Ichigo leaned to her and smirked, thinking of the many presents that he would like to receive.

"Yes, and stop your growling, it is nothing of the sort that you are thinking." Rukia lifted an eyebrow at Ichigo's guilty face and shook her head. "Is there anything in your mind that is…appropriate?"

"Pfft, no. Then, I'd be too boring for you and admit it, you love my charm." He tried to face her completely but was stopped by Rukia's dainty hand.

"Yes…your roguish charm." She comment with a half-smirk, "However, your ego does not need further inflation and you really need to get your mind out of the gutter. Now, please, do sit as you were. I was quite comfortable." Rukia pulled him back and made him sit down again. Rukia fixed her dress and cleared her throat. "Now, noble Ichigo, if you please, close your eyes."

"A surprise?" Ichigo did as he was told and had a large grin on his face. "I always loved surprises, especially when they're for me."

"How childish," Rukia's voice was firm but lively as she turned to the side and smiled when he frowned at her last comment. "Keep them shut." She repeated as she lifted herself up and perched on her knees. Wondering what she was doing and hoping it was the right choice, she leaned forward.

"They are." Ichigo muttered out as he heard some shuffling coming from her, and the curiosity of knowing what she got him was eating away at him. He thought that she had gotten him nothing for the holiday because it might have been something too "improper" between two Others that barely knew each other.

He was glad that he was wrong.

He was trying to keep his expectations low, not wanting to get overly excited for nothing. But he couldn't help his eagerness and like a child, he sat there, waiting and getting impatient. Listening intently to Rukia's shuffling movements, he had to keep telling himself to keep his eyes shut.

There was a gust of wind that carried her scent to him and before he knew it, she was close to his face. His amber eyes shot open, wide and surprised, when soft lips landed on his. He swore when he inhaled, he could taste tingling magic and delicate winter roses with lovely orchids.

This kiss was as if he and Rukia's souls were sealed for a moment in time–where everything stopped except them.

~o~o~o~o~

"We ready?" A man with a long scar on his cheek asked with a deep voice.

"It seems so. We got everything in our packs, so all we need is to get a signal from him." Another said when she stood up and placed her hood on her head.

"He better hurry up then. I'm no fucking saint when it comes to waiting." The scared man grumbled and walked up and down the gloomy alley.

"You can't even compare yourself to a saint, but keep still. You're disturbing the night." The hooded woman said referring to the stirring of animals that lived in the alley. All of them were awakened and moved with life when they started to talk.

"Who gives a shit?" The scarred man growled.

"The one who's calling the shots would." Another figure appeared with his hands in front of his body in a meditation position.

"Finally here? So tell us." The hooded woman asked calmly.

"There are five main floors and four emergency stairs exists. All, except for the main and back entrance have been blocked, and all stairs are blocked as well." The man hummed with his fingers still posed in a meditation symbol. "I told _him,_ and he gave the order to wait for his command."

"Fuck." The scarred man growled, tempted to punch a wall down. "Sitting and doing nothing is such a pain in the ass!"

"Keep your voice down!" The hooded woman whispered to her associate. "We must be calm to keep our position hidden."

"Easy for you to say."

The man that was resting his eyes and meditating to himself stopped and looked up, "Is that the signal?"

The woman stopped and looked up to see a flicker of light. "That's the signal." She said as she pulled on her pack. "Let's go."

"Fucking finally," The scarred man growled as he got his pack and handed the other pack to his always meditating male companion.

"Remember the plan," The woman said, "Set them up, meet with the shifter, get the information, and you," She looked directly at the man with the scar on his face, "Stay behind and do what you were assigned to do. Kill her."

"Don't need to tell me twice." The scarred man smirked viciously, "I'll fucking cut her up until there's nothing left." With the snow falling on them, the little light they had flickered off and they were gone.

In the midst of the party, all were oblivious to the world outside. Completely oblivious to the group of misfits standing to the side of the building in the cold weather. Shadows to society, ghosts that watch and observe the land they walk upon.

They were specters of quiet citizens, unknown to the bustling workers of everyday life. However, after tonight, everything was going to change. They were going to make themselves known to the human race that shunned them.

Tonight was the night.

After all…it was Christmas Eve.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Staring into her eyes, Ichigo sat in shocked silence. His heart was beating fast and he wondered if it was going to rip out of his chest from its pace. He licked his own lips for any remnants of her taste–of the faint texture of her lips. It was almost weird that he was nervous about this; he was light headed and a bit nauseous from the butterflies in his stomach. He had seen her naked, tasted her slick skin and pressed their bodies together, but they never once kissed. His hands were latched to his sides, his left leg twitched as she got up to straighten her dress and her composure.

She averted her eyes and pushed a thread of hair from her face when he wouldn't look away from her. "That was for…" She began quietly while looking down until she forced her eyes to connect with his. What was that anyways? She didn't know what she did or why, but she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "That was for everything. You have done so much for me. Thank you, merry Christmas, and goodbye."

Her eyes softened to a brilliant deep blue that he could drown in–drown in the grief they held. He saw it in her eyes, the hidden sorrow she always kept hidden. The unhappiness she held in her heart. "_Goodbye_." Ichigo's eyes widened as he watched her and finally got her message.

She was going to leave him. She was saying goodbye and he knew if he didn't do _something _she might fly away from his life.

Standing up, towering over her, his hand touched her cheeks solidly, unafraid and confident. "Don't…" He growled and kissed her. His eyes were closed, his shock from the first kiss gone and replaced with want.

He wanted more. He needed more. His lips pressed against hers heatedly, one of his hands weaved itself in her hair while the other tightly gripped her waist. He needed her to know how he felt, and the best way he could tell her was by showing her. Into this kiss, he tried to pour all of his emotions, hoping she would get _his _message.

She gasped and jumped in surprise at the sudden motion. Her hands on his shoulders tried to push him away as she whimpered and said his name in a muffled voice. Rukia knew she wanted this, she knew deep down that she craved this. But why couldn't she accept it? Why was there an aching notion of regret in her?

Ever so slowly, he melted her uncertainties and worries away with his warmth. She hesitantly kissed back, and then tiptoed her way up to meet him fully. Her breath was taken away; her body trembled beneath his fingers.

She never knew how warm, how light, and how alive it felt to be kissed by him. Somehow, she knew she wouldn't be able to get this bright and breezy feeling from anyone else. No, she knew that this radiance of light that was entering her and filling her was coming from him.

His hands brushed down her sides and stroked her cheek as he whispered against her lips, "Close your eyes, Rukia." He repeated her earlier phase and grinned into the kiss when she did. Her eyes fluttered closed and she pushed up against him even more, wrapped her arms around him and molded herself to him.

Dear God, it was amazing, it was a slow, a slow vibrating kiss. He wanted to get a long lasting taste of her, savor it and have it implanted in his mind forever. Behind his lids, he was blind and deaf and couldn't smell anything but her. So, when he told her to close her eyes, he wanted her to be like him. Feel nothing but everything between and inside of them. To feel the roaring of their blood, the roaring of their bodies craving to be united.

One of her hands cautiously went up and touched the side of his face. Tiny fingertips brushed the side of his squared jaw, gliding over the heated warmth of his skin. Blood rushed to her cheeks when she heard a growl of approval from him. It was as perfect as it could be… as perfect as it shouldbe.

But, alas, Rukia's senses returned and with it came her doubts. Something just wasn't right. It wasn't Ichigo, but it was her. Something was off with her, something was wrong and she wasn't sure what it was. It was as if multiple shots were ripping into her back and her eyes shot open. Flashes of colors ran by her, presenting themselves to her, and it reminded her of so many things.

She shouldn't be doing this, not now. Now wasn't a good time and damn if she knew why. As she felt him, felt him invade her in such an intimate way, in the back her head she heard a voice–quiet but firm –bringing her back to her reality and it dawned on her: She wasn't supposed to be here.

Rukia pulled away from him all at once and tried to move away but it was impossible to remove herself from Ichigo's lupine arms. "Let me go." She breathed out. Ichigo had a dazed look on his face but it melted away when he finally understood her request.

"No." He grounded out.

"I am not ready," she blurted out. "I cannot do this. I…I want," Her words made Ichigo loosen his arms and she took the chance to pull away. What she was saying was half a lie, he saw it in her eyes but there was more. She was hiding something from him, a secret in the depth of her heart, a treasure chest she kept hidden away from his sight. What was she hiding from him?

"Rukia, listen to me, you're my-"

"No." Rukia's chest lifted up and down, "I am deeply sorry for…everything. I am a horrible person, a horrible person who…who is greedy. Who should be happy and grateful for what I have already." She stumbled out, "I am not…"

"Rukia," He tried to reach out to her, but she avoided his touch. The action didn't hurt him, only made him concerned and filled him with suspicion. "Rukia, look at me," He urged and stepped forward, touching his forehead against her. "Close your eyes. Feel this bond between us, Rukia."

She felt stiff and stoic as she stood in front of him, in the faint loop of his arms. She felt as if she had betrayed him–them. Why did she kiss him? Why did she have the temptation to kiss him? What was so special about him? Her breathing was shallow and her heart ticked away against her chest. She didn't want to look at him, she didn't want to see the promises he had for her, but still she did.

"I do not wish to be confused anymore." She whispered, "I am afraid of being happy because every time I am, something bad happens." Rukia wasn't confident with herself to do this; she was scared and didn't know what else to do but plead with him, "Do not follow me," She said, "Please." Turning around, she hurried her way inside, leaving Ichigo dumbfounded and cursing. He looked down beside him and expected to see his gift left behind, but it wasn't there.

"Must've taken it," he mumbled and ran his hand through his hair. He felt the wolf inside him howling, felt the pounding paws run across him, the damning need to search for Rukia and demand she get back into his arms clawed at him. His heart continued to race, his inner wolf fervently beating, it stretched and stalked while persistently searching and snarling for Rukia. He felt his blood roar, "_Need. Want. Must have her back!_" He was irritated, not towards her however, but he was angry and confused nonetheless.

The moment between them was perfect, there was no insecurity from her, she wasn't questioning herself, she was shy but it was an excited nervous shy that he smelt from her. Unsure as to what to do, he did a quick look around him and saw nothing amiss. He couldn't seek her when he, himself, didn't know what was wrong. "Guess…I'll go home?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Fifteen minutes 'till midnight." Rukia said to no one in particular as she walked down the hall to her hotel room. Prim and proper white wall paper, lonely paintings of nature hanging by the cleft of a nail, and carpet untouched and vacuumed to perfection.

Clean and suitable.

Just like how her life was supposed to be. And to have that life, she must always be alone. Like now, hallways bear no life as she waited for midnight to strike and declare Christmas had arrived. Soon, before she even knew it, she was at her door, opening it weakly. She heard the squeak of the knob being turned, the resisting groan from the hinges as she pushed and the door gave away.

This hotel room was as bare as the last. Everything was in position, nothing out of place. Golden trimmed walls, colorless floors, Hickory French furniture, fluttering cream curtains, and royal blue centered rug.

Plain and simple.

The gift from Ichigo was resting in her hands, heavy and filled with potential. She quickly placed it inside of her small magical bag that was on the coffee table in front of the sofa. She couldn't help but stand there as seconds ticked away, being stunned and entranced with the curved letters of the title before she stored it away.

It was a strange sensation, to regret her kiss with Ichigo and yet, not regret it at the same time. Her lips did not cease to tingle, her heart skipped beats every so often and she knew it was because of that kiss–if she could even call it a simple kiss when it was the single most breathtaking moment of her simple life.

Maybe she could, or maybe she should find another name more suitable?

What was she thinking; right now that kiss–and her supposed nonexistent relationship with Ichigo–should be the farthest thing from her mind. Yet she still pondered over her wants and needs. She was confused with her hasty decision even when she knew why she made that decision.

The flash of colors, the abrupt numbness she felt now. It was because something bad was going to happen, and soon. Her heart was beating, she was nervous and had a sensation of bottled up fear.

Whatever she saw, felt. She knew it was bad. Her instincts made her impulsive; to tell Ichigo to leave her alone and run away, like always. She didn't want him be here when whatever was going to happen, happened.

"If I have such an amazing gift, then why can it not work properly when I need it to?" Rukia sneered. God, why did Unohana have to tell her about those reports and theories today of all days? She was already paranoid enough wasn't she? And why did she have to have feelings for Ichigo? Why did he have to have feelings for her? "Why right now when everything is already too confusing when they should just be plain and simple?"

Rukia remembered the days before she met Ichigo, how pitiful they were but how effortless they were as well. Her life was planned out for her like the clothing for the next day was picked out by her maids. Having little to no control over her next step because her father had to place his stamp of approval for anything she wanted or had to attend.

_This_ way of life she began since arriving to Japan was new and nerve wracking for her.

It was even more so whenever she was with Ichigo. He made her shy, nervous, and excited at the same time. She–who never cared about impressing, anyone–actually wanted him to like and be impressed with her. She wanted him to notice that she was worth something; at least she hoped she was worth something.

Rukia still didn't even know what was going through her mind when she kissed Ichigo. It was an opportunity she saw but it surprised her that she took it. It was unlike her, it was improper of her and what would her father think if he knew. Not even a month away from home and she was already acting like an inappropriate woman.

"What should I do?" Rukia sighed as she dropped her purse on the coffee table and walked to her bathroom, tugged at her diamond dew earrings slowly with drooping eyes. She was tired, very tired. However, as she walked, Rukia stopped midway and felt the change of atmosphere in the room.

She took a look around the living room; everything was in place and everything was in order in the bathroom. White tiles polished, towels were in a neat pile, soap and shampoo restocked as well.

There was still something off.

Quickly, almost like a reflex, she went to the desk that stood sturdily in her current bedroom and found her white book there, lying open and bare. "I did _not_ leave that open." She whispered to herself as she took the book in her hands and began to read the opened page, only after she went on a manhunt for her reading glasses.

Reading the pages, she noticed that the book was opened to a page that was further along than she was. Her notebook was open as well with some of her pages torn from the binding and spread around the desk. When she looked behind her, on her bed, her sketchbooks were laid out–all three of them–wide open and sketches were ripped from their bindings as well.

A thin cord of panic ran through her, nonetheless she kept herself calm as she read. She was puzzled and unsure as to what she was reading. Her progress went slowly, her eyes trained to catch anything that appeared odd in the dead sentences. Line after line of old ink made its way into her mind, like an ocean tide that swept across the sandy shore. Her eyes fixated on the last sentences of one page, sentences that were printed as blandly as the rest yet held so much meaning.

"_A power like no other. A power that has vice tied back with a golden silk thread. A simple crystal that holds the gates of spirit closed. A crystal that holds the balance of life and death._

_A fragile key, a fragile gate, and a fragile caretaker._

_If abused, a light shall appear and–_"

Rukia looked back and forth between the page she was just reading and the next. "And what?" She asked frustrated.

A page was missing, shamefully ripped from its place in the book. Certain of her belief that someone had snuck into her room, Rukia moved to add more light as she began to think back to the day she found the book. She made sure all pages were there and intact. The book was complete, she was sure of it.

Someone wanted the information to be lost, undiscovered. To leave the Others blind and defenseless. Rukia continued to read, getting further into what the 'light' was and how it could be used. And her eyes began to water. Her legs gave out as she read over a paragraph; she fell to the floor and clenched her teeth. "Everything makes sense…"

A knife of enlightenment was plunged to her heart, her blood seeped from the open wound and covered the handle, wrapped itself with vain arms. From there bloomed and fell the tears of rejection and injustice. She held back the scream that scratched at the back of her throat, that tried to climb free, and took a large gasp of agonizing air as her eyes shut tight, wanting to hide away from the blinding truth.

Moments passed, she wasn't sure how long, but when she looked up, her eyes stung and her voice was starchy. She saw the numbers on the clock that stood on the nightstand and glowed 11:58 at her.

Time was coming to an end.

Rukia turned away from it and sped towards her phone in the other room after she dropped the defiled book into the bottom drawer of the desk. The tune that came from the grandfather clock began to sing before she even reached for her phone, and she froze.

There was a tick and another followed, and when the chimes from the grandfather clock died. Rukia heard laughter and then a loud a boom, a vibrating crackle and soaring flames being ignited.

Her body was lifted off the ground.

~o~o~o~o~

Getting his coat on, Ichigo was quiet and thoughtful. The Others' party was filled with life and so was the lobby he was currently at. Leaving the hotel felt wrong, he felt it in his gut that there was something that was going to happen.

Nonetheless, it was an instinct that told him that and it could be because of what had occurred between him and Rukia. He was left alone in the chilly indoor garden and she trapped herself in her lonely hotel room. The only difference was that he'd gotten a hard-on, and couldn't leave the garden for ten minutes until it fizzled away thanks to the cold and being rejected.

"You look troubled, Kurosaki." Ishida came up to him, his fingers fixing his glasses. Certain parts of his face were swollen and purple because of Ichigo's actions the other night.

"Sure am," He stated and waited a few seconds before he spoke again. "And, sorry for losing my temper."

"Reasonable…to an extent." Ishida followed Ichigo outside; it was less crowded and smelt cleaner. "Rukia-san, how is she?"

"She's fine, she got hurt but thanks to her witch candy thing, she's healing up nicely."

"That look on your face," Ishida shifted his dark eyes to Ichigo. "I've seen it on the _alpha's _face whenever he talked about the _Luna._" Ishida remembered the _Luna _very well, Ichigo's mother and the _alpha's_ mate. She was the dawn of every morning; she was the dawn to the Kurosaki's morning.

She was an unforgettable person; the love she shared with Isshin was unforgettable as well. It was saddening to think what happened to her. Even now, after her death, the love between the _alpha _and _luna _was truly beautiful.

The looks that were exchanged between the two of them were a language that only they understood. A language that Ishida hoped he could one day learn. A language that he saw between Ichigo and Rukia, "I want to say that I'm grateful that you're her mate. Rukia-san…needs someone brash and idiotic like you."

Ichigo smirked, "So, I got your approval?"

"Even if you didn't, you wouldn't care and still do what you wanted." Silence fell between them, a question hung in the air like the remains of a lit candle. Ishida unnecessarily fixed his glasses and quietly cleared his throat. "Even if Rukia-san is your mate, Kurosaki, I want to let you know that I came to Japan as her guardian. Last night, I failed but that does not mean I'm going to step aside and let you become her protector 24/7."

"I didn't expect less from you." Ichigo scratched the back of his head, "I was hoping that you'll still watch out for Rukia, I don't want anything to happen to her. She's too…"

"You're far too easy to read, Kurosaki." Ishida sighed, "Did something occur between the two of you?"

Even if Ishida wasn't his favorite person, Ichigo always knew that there was a fine line of loyalty and respect between the two of them. "Yeah…but, I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

"She's like ice, Kurosaki. So far, no one has succeeded in melting the layers that surrounds her trust." The word 'trust' that Ishida used was a cover for another word that he had a hard time saying.

Ishida wasn't sure if Rukia still possessed one of those, she was kind and caring, but those were emotions that were implanted in her when she was younger by her mother. Love was something that she discarded long ago because of everything she had gone though. That emotion may be lost forever to her; she may have locked it away and thrown away the key–not expecting to use it again for the rest of her short life.

Ishida pulled his coat and gave a firm nod goodbye to Ichigo, "I'll be going–"

"Do you smell that?" Ichigo looked around him, the hair on the back of his neck stood up and a scowl made its way on his face.

"Smell what?"

Ichigo looked around in the crowd, his eyes scanned the cluster of people. It was a faint aroma, one that was hard to catch even for him. But it was there, a trail of forgotten dust that spoke of danger. Ichigo took out his police hand held radio and told Chad to warn the Others policemen to be on the lookout for anything unusual.

"Talk to me, Kurosaki." Ishida firmly grunted to him.

Ichigo kept his eyes on the whisk of people, "Something is off, the moment I left Rukia's side something was off. Now I get this…this small taste of something in the air. Damn it, if only it was a bit stronger!"

"Do you have an idea of what it is?" Ishida asked before he heard a squeal behind him from a group of girls looking at their watches excitedly. Looking at his own wristwatch, Ishida saw they were only a few seconds away from midnight.

"Powder," Ichigo stated as he took another deep breath, then the color drained from his face. His skin was pale as a ghost, cheeks hollow and eyes wide in panic.

"Kurosaki?"

"Explosives," He stated and he quickly radio Chad again, "C4!" He yelled into the black device, "The building's hot! Get everyone out–"

All at once, almost like a planned fireworks display, the _Supra Natura_ made a loud snap that was followed by falling stones and then fire rose from the building as if a phoenix was being reborn and released to the world –emerging from the depths of the building and making itself known as it screeched and grew in size.

Parts of the building fell off, mostly from the last five floors; one of them being Rukia's floor and there was silence –a mute silence that settled on Ichigo as he watched the top floor being ripped off by another explosion. The scores of people running from the building were screaming. Men, women, and children alike were all making noises while there were honks and crashing cars behind him. The loud, deafening sound of running was clear and yet he barely acknowledged them.

Everything was silent for the _beta _until he said her name, "Rukia?"

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_**A/N: So…what do you all think? ^^ This is 14 pages of goodness and I also believe this is one of my favorite chapter.**_

_**I hope you all enjoy it and please review!**_


	12. Chapter 11

_**A/n:**_

_**So…it been a while, but as many you know, it's not summer anymore so I don't have time to write a lot. So, no more early release, this date/week will be the week for **__**A Glass Orb **__**release. **_

_**I also want to dedicate this fic to **_**TyrackWolfII**_** from Deviantart. She drew a doodle for my fic, and I love it very much! X] My friend showed me it so I'm super happy! Check her out:**_

_**http:/(+)tyrackwolfii.(+)deviantart(+).com/gallery/(+)#/d2x51xv**_

_**Take out the: (+) and the doodle for my fic is number 4! 3 I'm so happy!**_

_**Besides that, I hope you all had a great vacation! **_

_**

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_**Chapter 11**_

_**Up in the Clouds**_

Beyond the realm of reason, there is a place I call my own. It is above the terrain, past the fields of white mist, in a void of dark blue.

In this domain I call my own, I can think, sleep, and stare into nothingness without the fear of being criticized.

The season here is always the end of spring, with small numbers of pink blossoms falling around me. The grass is as green as it is described in fairy tales and there are wild flowers flourishing across the meadow. Birds sing in the late afternoon sun for me and the wind is gentle and kind against my skin.

I sit at my white Victorian metal table for two, with my Sunday dress on and my hair loose and twirling in the wind. When I am thirsty, I use my favorite porcelain tea cup that has plump, plum blossoms painted on it.

I am always alone here in this peaceful and beautiful environment. I sometimes drink a cup of tea or hot chocolate, then lie on my back in the field and look up towards the clouds. Other times, I just sing silently to myself.

Yes, I am always alone here, up in the clouds, in this realm of dreams that I repeatedly use to hide myself away from the reality of the world. For this kingdom represents my needs, desires, hopes, and dreams.

I come here to escape reality. I come here to escape myself.

One day, I arrived and saw you here–in my secret place. I stood in shock when I saw you there with a grin on your handsome face, the sparks of lively fire in your eyes. You were completely relaxed and pleasant with one hand in your pocket while the other beckoned me to come forth.

You mouthed something to me, it was one word and your eyes were so tender when you said it. I didn't know why you were there, what you were waiting for, or how you arrived at my sanctuary, but I still rushed to you. I tripped over my gown to get to you and tears formed in my eyes when I saw that I couldn't reach you.

"I want to know," I murmured to you once upon a midwinter night, "I want to know when you became something so priceless and yet so unattainable that you have become part of my realm of dreams."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Chest felt heavy. Legs were strapped down. Eyes refused to open. Lungs shriveled from the lack of air. Throat rusted and mouth filled the taste of metallic blood.

Where was she again?

Her mind continued to draw blanks as her eyes moved beneath her lids. As numb as she felt, she heard the ticking of a clock.

Time.

Vigilantly, her fingers twitched to life, her hands soon followed. With her reawakened limbs, she started to grasp the area around while she told her eyes to open. Make them welcome the visions the world provides.

To become aware of where she was.

With her hands lost in the mist of darkness, she searched for anything with her nimble fingers. She searched for nothing as well. She smelled burning wood…burning paint and fabric. Her chapped, rosy lips were tainted by blood, opened and air mixed with bits and pieces of smoke filled her lungs.

Alive, she was still alive.

Eyes shattered open. Intense sapphire eyes blended with amethyst wine stared at the cloud of smoke that was low to the ground. She felt a cut underneath her left eyes and noticed half of her reading glasses were blown away,; a shard might have cut her. Flexing her fingers, her toes and then every muscle in her body, Rukia groaned as she pulled her legs free of a large chuck of fallen wall.

Breathing deeply, she felt empty inside as she focused. Her mind screamed to her panicking body to focus, relax and move. Her consciousness was momentarily stored and locked inside her heart as her survival instincts took over.

She felt cold as a glacier in the surrounding, splintering embers. She began to move. Lying on her back, she tried to get up and she had flashes of pain scorched at her right shoulder. Biting back a curse, she tried to sit up again with tears in her eyes as she felt a heavy pressure on her shoulder. Rukia let out a whimper when the pressure was gone and rolled herself onto her stomach.

She couldn't hold back the rising pressure in her stomach and held her hand to her mouth, throwing up absolutely nothing. Rukia gasped from the pain, she still tried to stand up again. She whipped her hand against the floor, ignored the blood that was mixed in. Her legs buckled but she forced herself up. The smoke was half-way down the room, air supply was leaving her room quickly.

The walls were pleasant with minty green stripes. They would have been inviting–if it wasn't for the fire burning them off–but this wasn't her room. With weak legs she stumbled across the room, made her way to the door leading to the hallways and lost her footing when it opened smoothly. She heard people screaming from floors below, and she would have wondered what had happened if it wasn't for her need to go to her room and retrieve the _Pectus Pectoris Est Absentis. _

On the ground, she slammed the door shut with her foot, and raised an eyebrow at the number. Rukia decided not to ask how she was thrown five rooms away from her own. Using the wall as support, she balanced herself and moved forward.

What had occurred was something horrible.

The hotel was on fire under attack. Smoke covered the ceilings, people and Others were in a panic, walls were blown away, and there were holes in the floor edged with crystalline ember sparks. Her own dress was burned half off, exposing her stomach. She was covered in debris, the skirt of her dress was outlined in dead grey ash, and she was bleeding again.

"_Wonderful_." She scowled as she stumbled and tripped over random wreckage on the floor.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

She heard time passing by her, the grains of sand piling up. As she moved, she wondered how long it would take her to get to her room. It felt like hours had passed her as she leaned against the wall, dragging one of her legs behind her. It felt so far away but when she arrived, she felt as though her body was numb and sore. However, it had only been four minutes of sluggish walking.

She was at her door, or what was left of it.

The hinges were there, the wood connecting to the hinges was there. But the door itself was gone. The inside of her room was in burnt ruins. In the corner she saw a fire and in her bathroom, tiles and sink and shower were gone. There was a large gaping hole that connected her room to the one next door and the one after that.

There was another hole which allowed her a charming view of the city. "Lovely," She chocked out. Determined as she was to go in and get the book, a cry came to her left and her room was gone from her sight.

"Damn it," She cried and scolded herself as she tossed her heels to the side and screeched at her legs to function properly. The cries were getting louder; multiplying until she had to run towards it to make sure her mind wasn't making those sounds up.

She turned around once when she felt something fell behind her, and she realized when she saw a piece of the ceiling burning where she once stepped, the floor above her might collapse on her. With her might, not letting anything else distract her, Rukia went straight towards the screams.

Avoiding parts of ceiling falling on her, she steered away from the burning piles of debris, only getting burned once or twice as she arrived to the loud crying. Huddled together in the middle of one of the many lounges that were on her floor, were three children. All of them appeared to be under the age of eight and all were crying with headphones around their necks as they held each other.

Walking up to them, breathing as calmly as she could, she called out to them the best she could and their heads whipped towards her. All three kids ran to her and hugged her legs as she tried to calm them down, using soothing words her mother once used with her.

The children had dirt on their faces, ashes covered them as well, but gratefully none were injured. The youngest one was a girl that appeared to be only three years old with pink hair that matched her pink cheeks and eyes. The other two looked older, maybe around seven? The girl had low pigtails and the boy had murky red hair.

"Quiet," She said to them, "And listen to me. I will get you out of here and take you to your parents. I will not leave you children alone. I promise."

Getting up from the floor, she used the pathetic amount of strength she had left and carried the pink little toddler on her left shoulder. She took a hold of the boy's hand loosely with her right hand and told the girl to grab her dress. Rukia didn't question them as to why they were alone, she didn't pester them at all since they didn't have time for that..

All she knew was they had to get out of the building.

Walking down the halls again, she told the little boy they shouldn't use the elevators because they were not safe and she kept asking the little girl if she was alright since she kept crying quietly to herself.

Rukia noticed she was walking with a limp when she heard the little boy call out to her. "Kuchiki-san?" The boy spoke up.

"Yes?" She tried to be composed and serene so the children won't be scared.

"You're hurting, aren't you?" The little girl piped up next.

Looking at the pitiful amount of gashes on her body, she shook her head, "A bit, but I'm fine."

"But your shoulder," The boy said.

"My shoulder?" Looking at her right shoulder, she noticed blood. Lots of it, not dripping but spilling from her shoulder. Her eyes widened when she saw that she had a hole in her shoulder. She had been stabbed.

Rukia remembered the pain in her shoulder when she woke up and realized that she was in such a frenzied state, that she didn't noticed the wound–didn't notice that she happened to land on a metal rod that stabbed through the hollow gap between her right shoulder blade and collar bone. She must have been so delusional that she did not even comprehend what happened to her when she awoke.

Keeping calm, she kept moving. Now noticing the intense pain and throbbing of her arm, the squeezing and releasing sensation, and the pins and needles making themselves known. "I am peachy keen; after all, it is only a flesh wound." She reassured them, "Come on now, I am sure your parents must be worried."

As they walked, they passed rooms, which were vacant and burning. Then there was laughter again as the right wall ahead of them was smashed away. Flying and breaking portions of the wall slammed into the left side of the hallway and broke a hole in it as well.

Dust poured into the hall and the children all tensed up. The pink haired toddler whimpered as she held onto Rukia. "Well, well. Who might we have here?" The voice called out, "Why if it isn't little Kuchiki Rukia?" From the midst of the destruction came one figure, then another.

"Grimmjow," Rukia whispered out as she saw the were-jaguar appear before her.

"Hello, love." He mocked as a man with a mask appeared next to him.

"So, this is the woman?"

"Isn't she a beauty, Aaroniero?"

The shifter chuckled underneath the mask, "Sure is."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The _Supra Natura _was up in flames, large chucks of the building were now missing, a large cloud of black smoke was being produced from the hotel, and debris littered the block where the _Supra Natura _stood. Only mere moments ago was the building making large boom noises, one after another, only fifteen to twenty seconds apart.

"Keigo! Chad! Damage control, now!" Ichigo roared out as the three officers went to prepare the blockage of the press and cameras alike. Even now, Others couldn't risk being exposed during such a violent moment. Twenty minutes had passed since the Others were attacked.

Ichigo pushed screaming Others and people out of his way, looking for his father, his sisters, and his mate. "Where's Rukia-san!" Ichigo heard and saw as Ishida asked that of Rangiku and Momo before asking different Others. "Have you seen Rukia-san?" Ishida pleaded, "Have you seen the American representative!"

Cursing himself, Ichigo felt his instincts and his mind begin to battle. As the _beta _of the pack, he couldn't leave his post until the _alpha _was present–which he wasn't. But as Kurosaki Ichigo, a lupine, his impulsive monster inside of him called out to be released and to find Rukia.

"Officers, I want the citizens under control and out of the red!" He yelled in his radio, "A group of five need to be assigned to look for suspects, now!" Turning around, she saw the chaos that was happening. Everything felt very fast. His blood pumped with every crackle the hotel made, with every scream and cry the spectators made.

In the crowd he saw a familiar face and rushed up to her, "Tatsuki!" He grabbed her by the shoulders, ignoring a panicked Inoue next to her. "I need you to look for my sisters or for my pops, understood?"

The female lupine nodded her head, "Understood." She left Inoue on the other side of the street in a café as she went for searching for the _beta_'s family members.

Ichigo glanced at Ishida's direction again, hoping to see Rukia there, "Fuck, where is she?" He cried and almost went into the hotel to look for her when he heard cries from behind.

"Kurosaki-san, what should we do?" A crowd, his pack members, stood there and looked to him as the step-in leader with big desperate eyes. Asking for _his_ guidance.

About to answer them, about to tell them he could not lead them when he had a missing mate, he heard his youngest sister crying out, "Ichi-nii!"

Limping towards him were his two sisters, Karin between Yuzu and Tatsuki, bleeding from her head and unable to walk. Karin croaked out his name, "Ichi-nii…?"

Angry and pissed off, he let out a howl and didn't care if humans saw or heard him. He was in distraught with what his heart wanted and what his role in the pack stood for. Going to his sister, he told Tatsuki to get them both to a hospital quickly.

He could hear sirens going off and felt cold as winter kept pouring snow on them. Only now, what came with the snow were wisps of grey ash. His soul and heart teamed up and went to war with his duty, and they made a treaty as he stood there. Panting with adrenaline, Ichigo spoke loudly, "Men that don't know shit about first aid search for the remaining members, the same with women!"

He roared out as his inner lupine snarled and cried, "Look for _alpha!_" and the next words that left his mouth shocked his entire pack, "And look for my mate, Kuchiki Rukia!"

He couldn't leave even if he wanted to. "Please" He whispered to himself, "Please Rukia." Ichigo only moved to search the grounds once his sisters were taken away, helping victims along with way. Once ten minutes passed, the _alpha _still haven't been found and neither had Rukia.

His mind raged, his eyes red as he saw firefighters already trying to calm the building's fire down. Ichigo barked out orders, barked out commands and demands. His mind was already made up; the next chance he could get to leave, he was going to and he was going to look for Rukia.

"Chad. Ishida." He called out to them calmly in spite of the deadly wrath in his eyes.

His two most trustworthy friends appeared before him. "Sisters?" Chad asked.

"Found and at the hospital."

Ishida looked at the building, the hotel that was once the most secure place for an Others, "We were attacked." He stated.

"Damn straight we were." Ichigo growled, "Listen to me, if my pops isn't here or if Rukia isn't found in the next two minutes, I'm leaving you two in charge. Chad, you're going to be responsible for the officers here. Ishida, you're in charge of the pack."

Both nodded their heads, knowing this was no place to argue. Ichigo snarled in approval and left the two to their tasks. His palms were sweating and his mind was racing, and all he could focus on was his mate who could be injured or dying. And she may be all alone. "Should've followed her," He growled.

"Ichigo-kun! Where's the ambulance!" Turning around, Ichigo saw his godfather standing there with his two children clinging to his side and a young pink haired child in his arms. Ichigo got a female wolf to care for the pink toddler as another went looking for an ambulance.

"Ichigo-kun…" Urahara panted, "Your father is inside."

"What the fuck's he doing inside!" Ichigo grabbed the blond hair man's collar, "Doesn't he know he has a pack to run!"

"He's saving your mate."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Look at me." Rukia repeated, "Look only at me." She was trembling as she spoke carefully to the young children in front of her. All three were scared, whimpering as they clustered close to her, asking for her protection. Much luck that would do when she was tied up, bound by invisible magic.

Rukia's eyes were clouded; her wand was gone–fell out the window during an attack from the _novena_ espada. She and the three young Others children were on the ground of a different floor's lounge.

They fell through a shallow step on Rukia's level when they were escaping, and were now immobile. They were also cornered by the sexta espada–Rukia was lucky when she hit the ninth espada with a sleeping spell a mere moment after he launched the spell that knocked her wand away and bound her hands. Rukia wanted to scream in frustration at them, at the world. "_How did they know that witches cannot do magic when their hands are tied up_?" She ground out to herself.

The only reason why she and the children were where they were right now was because the moment Rukia saw the Espadas, she knew that she couldn't even protect herself in her current state. So, she did a quick blinding spell and ran with the kids, hoping to at least save them.

Now, as she heard the agonizing steps of the sexta making his way to where they were at, she wanted to distract the children. She didn't want them to know that their time might be coming to an end.

"Look at me, only at me," She whispered to them with a smile, "Put your headphones on and only look at me." With her arms at her sides, she saw the glittering eyes of the children and smiled at them as she started to hum–mostly to calm herself but she didn't realize the soft vibration she made calmed the children as well.

The three young Others closed their eyes and scooted closer to her. The young children did not notice the espada's appearance in the archway, but she did. He stood there with his aquamarine eyes staring cold-bloodedly at them. A grin on his face as his hand lit up with a black energy. She too stared back him with pitiless eyes, looking down at him.

"How kind." He laughed, "Humming to the little brats before they die! Never knew you were so kind, Rukia." She glared at him but did not respond. She was trying her best to hide her fright; she was also trying to hide how helpless she was. Not only might she die, she may possibly bring these innocent children down with her. "_These children have done no sin to deserve this fate_!" Her mind screamed as he took another step closer.

Rukia continued to have a poker face when her blood rushed through her in a panic. "Eh? I'm being ignored!" His laughter was horrid, "Why, I can't have that, now can I?" He mocked. "Now, what should I do to them and to _you_?" She raised an eyebrow at him, stating clearly to him that she didn't care what he would do to her. "So noble. I wonder how long you can put up that fucking act of being an ice bitch. Oops, I mean, 'witch,' sorry."

He sneered as she hummed a different melody. "I'm getting fucking tired of this! I do not like being ignored!" He was about to send his blast of dark matter to her when there was a large rumble that shook the floor. She thought the level above them was going to collapse, fall on them. However, that was not the case. Instead, the rumbling came from the door of the emergency stair, and it grew louder and louder. It then flew open, a blur of fur passed her and it become clear to her that it was a large werewolf–a werewolf who appeared from the mist of the dark doorway and attacked Grimmjow.

Rukia stopped and stared as Grimmjow morphed into his were-form and fought back. Crashes and snapping wood reached her ears before a whisper came from behind her. Turning her head to the side, she saw Urahara there. He stood calmly with his fan opened and resting in his hand, "This way, Rukia-san!" He gushed with a smile on his face.

"What about–?"

"Daddy?" The pigtail girl shoved the headphone off her head, large glop of tears in her eyes. The boy did the same and both rushed to the blond hair man. Crying their eyes out as Urahara face became pale and his fan fell from his hand.

"What? How in earth did you two get here!" He screeched at them, "I told you to stay at home! I thought, I thought that…" Urahara hugged his children as Rukia stood up from the ground showing no real surprise.

The pink haired toddler was sleeping in the cradle of Rukia's good arm. She glanced behind her and saw the werewolf tackling Grimmjow to the ground. Blood flew from left to right, snarls and growls and insults were being thrown as well. All the while, Urahara whispered into his children's hair. "Dear God, are you both are alright?" The siblings nodded their head as they kept sobbing.

Rukia stood there, her heart softened at the sight as it pulled at the lost sentimental emotions of wanting her own mother. "It would be best if you took them away, now." She said firmly, "Even this little one." Urahara was about to protest, knowing that the reason why he came here in the first place was important…but with the weight of his children in his arms, plans for him had changed. He knew it and she knew it.

"Get them out of here," Rukia limped her way to him and handed him the small child. "You do not trust me. I know that and admire it at the same time. I wish for you to not force yourself to trust me, especially when you are forcing yourself to trust me with your children."

"Rukia-san..."

"I will replace you and help, once you cast a spell to release my hands." She gave a half-smile, "Please?" Urahara watched her from under his hat, and with the pink hair child in his hands, he did as she asked.

"Don't try to kill him," He stated, "The man is not all bad and he's still useful."

"I understand." Her hands free, she saw red swelling from the tight bind and she tried to nurse them when she winced at her bad arm shifting.

"You're hurt."

"Your children are in danger. Get them out, now." She growled with her impassive eyes. "I will not have their blood on my hands because of you." Moving away from the man, she mustered as much force in her walk as she went towards the battle, only when she heard Urahara leaving.

She saw the werewolf's eyes widen when he saw her standing there, breathing hard and sweating with blood dripping from her shoulder and face. "Urahara-san needed to take care of his children, Isshin-san." She said to the _alpha _when he looked for his friend. She used her good arm to summon a spell, and saw Isshin eyes widen at the sight of her injured shoulder, "I am fine…" She said, repeating it once more for her sake alone. "I am fine."

Rukia took the fire surrounding them and compelled it in her hand in a simple spell. In a gust of silence, the fire that was once in the room disappeared, swept away and whirled around Rukia's body before it moved to the palm of her hand. Nervously she tried to control it, she wasn't an expert with the element of fire; after all, she had studied and was to become the priestess of water.

Both weres were surprised when there wasn't any fire surrounding them anymore, and instead there was burnt black and cool grey ash mixture together in the room. However, they still not dare to stop fighting. Rukia launched the gust of fire from her palm and it hit Grimmjow in the forearm. He was distracted enough for Isshin to get the advantage he needed as he slammed the were-jaguar onto the ground. Trapping him with his claw wrapped around the large cat's neck, his other paw had its claws drawn out and pressed against Grimmjow's neck.

Rukia was about to walk over when there was another shake; she was sure there wasn't going to be another ally arriving to help. So, she quickly looked up expecting the ceiling to fall on them this time.

Another rumble, a shake and a crack was heard. A large bark echoed through the room when the floor under her gave away, and she fell into the next level. She choked out a cry when she landed on her injured shoulder, and squeezed her eyes shut from the pain. Rukia's breathing was heavy and she whimpered almost too loudly when she held her shoulder. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes and she swore she saw stars whirling in front of her because of the throbbing.

Minutes had passed before she noticed there were growls above her, calling for her. And even if she could not understand what Isshin was saying, she hurriedly replied, "I am perfectly fine, Isshin-san!" She lied as she wheezed out the last part.

Rukia pushed herself up as blood ran down her neck–she wouldn't dare to move her fingers on her hurting arm. Her head was in pain; it was pounding and was droopy with sleep. She felt nauseous, the floor would not stop spinning but she got up when flames licked as her legs. Stumbling her way up to her feet, her good hand holding her injured arm, she looked around. She was greeted by a hotel room being devoured by flames. Rukia was about to move when she heard thuds from the upper level and was about to call out when someone called out to her.

"Is…is anyone there?" A pleasant voice came out, interrupting and distracting Rukia. The voice was not from upstairs, but from one of the bedrooms in the inferno hotel suite. "Please…if anyone is there."

Rukia eyes widened when she got closer and would have run if she could, "Miss Unohana?"

Leaning against a wall was the smiling English representative. "Ah, it must be fate that brought you here, Miss Rukia."

"How…?" She limped closer to the changeling; Rukia's mouth opened at the sight. The once healthy representative was beaten, stabbed, and overall dying before Rukia's eyes.

"Who knows," The English changeling responded, "It does not matter. Tonight is going to be my final night."

"Do not say something…"

"Miss Rukia, it will be fine. My time has come."

"Who would do such a thing?" Under Unohana's left breast was a knife sticking out, shimmering in blood. There were multiple stab wounds on her body and her right hand was disfigured and unrecognizable. Her face was bruised and a gash ran down one of her eyes, and Unohana was unable to open it fully. The representative's legs were both broken and laid limply on the floor. Her once beautiful dress was in shreds, ripped in certain places and burnt in others.

"It does not matter…all that matters is that you must leave. Even if I was hoping not to die alone, the group who did this to me might come back. You must leave, save yourself, you cannot die, remember?"

"I will not leave!" Rukia growled out, "There is still a chance that you may live, and I am not willing to give that chance up for something as foolish as your request!"

Unohana didn't look surprised and held out her left hand, "I see that I am not the only one injured." She changed the subject as she smiled painfully, blood leaked from her lips as she coughed.

"I fell on a rod and this happened," Rukia grinned weakly, playing along as she grabbed Unohana's hand with her own naked one and kneeled next to her.

"Drink some…herbal tea filled with petals of orchids and daisies, splash in some rosebuds and mermaid hair, then some pig liver and you will be perfect as a diamond." She laughed faintly at Rukia's scrunched up nose, "Always so serious, Miss Rukia. I guess you cannot take a joke."

Silence would have ensued if it wasn't for the fire that grew and the struggling upstairs between the two weres. Yet, even in the midst of madness, Miss Unohana was lovely sitting there, like a fading star making its last appearance. "Is there anything I can do to ease your pain?" Rukia asked.

Unohana's smile widened, her eyes grew dimmer as seconds walked by. "So kind as well. Sadly, all I wish for you to do is to listen to me." Unohana pulled a bundle of cloth from her pocket, and Rukia was shocked to see her little pouch there. "The Espadas were the one that did this to me; they wanted to know what was written in the letter you found in the garden.

"They thought I could read Latin, luckily, they were wrong." She placed the purse in Rukia's hand. "I read the translation notes you made, and I have something to tell you. Endellion was my mother's name. It stood for 'fire soul' and my father was once a hound. I hope that helps." She grinned at Rukia as she coughed more, "Now, I think it's time for you to leave, Miss Rukia."

"Not even for you!" Unohana eyes widen at the young witch who dropped the bag she was holding and grabbed her hand again, "Not even for you will I sit here like a flower as you die! I will not witness your death for you will not die! I am going to save you, just you wait!" Rukia burst out, "I will not let you die." She couldn't have this happen to her again. She witnessed her mother's death, her mentor's death along with his wife's and daughter's. She didn't want to see it again. She didn't want to accept the fact that death followed her every move. "You cannot die, please." She begged for Unohana's sake and for her sanity.

Grabbing Unohana's arm, she was about to tug her up when the older woman whispered. "Miss Rukia, do you know when your mission on earth is finished?"

"What are you saying?"

"Do you know?" She chimed again, "See? You are still young and stupid." Unohana smiled through the insult, and said softly, "You will know your mission on earth is finished when you are not alive anymore." With her hand, Unohana tucked a strand of loose hair behind Rukia's ear. "You cannot save me. My mission here is done, Miss Rukia.

"It is alright however; I lived my life the way I wanted to, I made many friends, fell in love and had two of the loveliest daughters. I lived a wonderful life, short as it was, wonderful nonetheless. Such a wonderful life…" She stated, "Even if I fear death, Miss Rukia, I lived and I went through the sweet and sour chapters of life. And because of that, it makes death sound less of a punishment and more of a reward, does it not?"

Grains of sand slipped through Rukia's fingers as she watched silently. Unohana's eyes dimmed and the light slowly vanished. "_Indeed_," The dying woman said once more in her mind, with Rukia hearing every word. "_I lived a wonderful, no, a magnificent life._"

The hand Rukia held was a fading warm touch, and she held her breath as she waited. Waited for thoughts to pour into her mind like they did earlier, but it was clearly silence. Her mind was still, quiet and empty. Slipping her hand free, Rukia saw they were covered in blood, "I guess my hands are now covered in your blood as well, Miss Unohana."

Like a flower waiting to be plucked from the ground, Rukia sat there. Staring at the elegant woman whose cheeks and lips still had color in them. Taking both of Unohana's hands, Rukia placed them on the lifeless woman's stomach. "You are right, Miss Unohana." Rukia spoke softly after minutes of silence. "The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity. While you may not be with us right now, Miss Unohana, I know you will be living another life beyond our reach, waiting for your loved ones to join you one day."

Feebly, Rukia wrapped the string of her bag around her wrist, glancing at the fallen woman before getting up. Her legs felt weak and cold compared to the consuming the room. She almost forgot that she was in the middle of a fire, in the middle of an attack, and almost forgot that Isshin was upstairs waiting anxiously for her.

As she turned away from Unohana, Rukia heard a whisper curl around her ear, "Do not be daft," Rukia said with her back facing the fallen woman and a small twitch of her lip going up, "I know life is an art, and I know no one can teach me how to master that art."

Rukia left the room, rubbing her eyes as she tried to walk down the hall. She was looking for the stairs and called out for Isshin. She didn't get a response from the _alpha_ but the words, "Night, night." She blinked first, taken back at the words when a large piece of hard wood was crashed into the side of her forehead, and everything faded to nothingness and came back misty and blurry.

A light shone into her eyes as she heard a conversation above her and felt a pinch on the tender, inner side of her arm. Even with her eyes wide open, she saw nothing but smog and a piercing light.

"I got the…give me another vial…I believe five would be…but he asked only for two…" Clips and snips of the conversation were clear, she groaned and hazily wondered why she wasn't reading the person's mind, she was sure one of the members above her was touching her. Skin to skin, she was sure.

"Should we…?" She heard.

"Doesn't matter," The other said, "we already have…vials of blood…there was nothing about…"

"Then we should get…"

Rukia's lip moved, formed words but no sounds came out. Her eyes grew heavy as moments passed; she heard the shuffling of feet leaving her and the breathing fire becoming larger. Even so, she felt as if she was being encased in silence with the world going from its misty white to a murky grey to a final, drowning black.

There were footsteps again and she heard her name being shouted as she was picked up from the ground.

Ah, she felt so cold.

_**

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**__**A/n:**_

_**Another 14 pages of goodness, at least for me. **_

_**If you love! Please review! I can't believe I already have more than 200 reviews! Thank you all who support me and I'll see you next month! 3 3 3**_


	13. Chapter 12

**A/n: Time to update, I have to say that this chapter only had one beta****reader unlike the recent ones. I, somehow, couldn't come into contact with my other beta reader, so forgive me and FTB (one of my beta-ers) for any mistakes we might have overlooked. **

**Before we start, I want to respond to some reviews: **

**To Lisa's "**_**there are too many useless paragraphs.**_**" Poor baby, do you want me to write just for you? Because, I just want to say that I'm not writing for you. I'm writing for myself because I like to write and I enjoy writing. If you don't like it, then don't read because I simply don't care. **

**Next, to Just had to point out's "**_**typical western ignorance; people think american and europian based culture is all that exists out there." **_**I found this very interesting, in fact, I would have been embarrasses from this mistake of mine if you weren't so rude. So, to you, I mostly want to say, "Kiss my ass."**

**Besides that, please enjoy this chapter!**

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_**Chapter 12**_

_**Trust**_

_The decision to trust someone is a tricky matter, like deciding whether or not to climb a cliff that oversees the ocean. _

_While the cliff may be steep and may look difficult to climb, standing at the bottom of it will get you nowhere. _

_So with every step you take going up, you might get the reward of a wondrous view at the end. That or you might trip, scraping your knees and elbows. _

_It's the fear of getting hurt that makes many confide themselves in the comfort of their homes. Separating themselves from the outside world and letting themselves be utterly alone. _

_Never to experience the rich tributes life can provide because of the fear of getting hurt. _

Peering out to the ocean, he took off his glasses to wipe away the sweet layer of ocean mist. He glanced to his right, to a girl with short black hair walking ahead of him. "You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you do not trust enough."

"Frank Crane," She answered with a sigh as she picked up more sea shells while listening to the pacing waves.

"Good, you did last night research."

She stopped her collecting of shells with a look of lost anticipation in her eyes, cradling the shells in her hands with careful musing. "Are you trying to tell me something, Ishida-san?"

"I am," The summer breeze was refreshing and he had to smile. The sun stepped away from the clouds it was hidden behind and shimmered brightly as he spoke to the young heiress. "I want you to trust me, Kuchiki-san, I don't expect it to be right away but I would like for you to depend on me. After all, starting tomorrow, I'll be watching over you."

The young girl, only at the age of seventeen, looked out to the sandy shore of the private beach her family owned. She dropped the sea shells she collected without a second thought, not even looking down to see them being carried away by the waves.

"A person who cannot trust themselves cannot be trusted." She turned to her new caretaker, moving her short strands of hair away from her face and gave a small smile. "Do you still want my trust?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

In a parlor room on the fifth floor of the _Supra Natura_, a large group of Others either stood or sat in silence, waiting for the arrival of two members that were running late.

It was strange for many that there wasn't any bustling noise in the _Supra Natura_. Not only that, but everyone could feel the cold tension in the hotel, the comfort gone and the naked truth that they were now vulnerable.

That they always have been vulnerable.

Their confidences and arrogances back fired and injured them like salt and lemon being pressed against an open wound.

On one side of the room, Ishida was standing still and looking out the window. There was a trio of cop cars and one fire truck parked outside the hotel, all slowly being covered in snow. In spite of everything, Ishida couldn't believe that it had been five days since the attack and yet it felt as if it had been the night before when everything fell. Glancing around the room, he saw all representatives except for Unohana, Rukia, and head councilor Yamamoto.

Of course, Rukia wasn't going to be here because of her injures, but it was strange for Yamamoto and Unohana to be late. Typically, they were the first to arrive.

Ichigo, who was leaning against the bar's counter, had a bottle of beer in his hand. His face had a mixture of somber and anger as he drained the last of his drink. The taste of it was parched and dull, stinging the back of his throat only slightly. He wrinkled his nose, wishing he had a stronger drink when Kenpachi came up.

An etched frown on his face, Kenpachi handed Ichigo a glass of gin with a nod. The young _beta _took the drink and nodded his thanks as well. The silent conversation that passed through them was short and to the point. Who would have guessed that the little pink hair toddler Rukia saved was Kenpachi's daughter?

However, since the incident, Kenpachi had quiet down. It was unnerving with the Russian representative being so voiceless, but then again, everything had gotten more serious than they had ever predicted.

Isshin was having his own drink when the sound of steps appeared and everyone noticed that it was only one pair of shoes that was walking down the corridor. The double doors opened and Yamamoto entered in parlor room with his large wooden cane helping him.

Closing the door with a firm push, he stood in everyone's line of vision. He didn't bother to sit or move into a more comfortable position. No, he simply stood there and cleared his throat before he began to speak, "Five days ago, we were all taken by surprise when the _Supra Natura _was confronted by the enemy." Some looked around the room, wondering why the elder dragon was starting without Unohana; nonetheless, no one bothered to voice out the concern. "The American representative, Kuchiki Rukia, was heavily injured during the scene and is currently in the hospital."

Everyone knew Rukia was in the hospital, that wasn't new since most of them saw Isshin rushing out from the burning hotel in his human form. The young nymph lay limp in his arms as he yelled for an ambulance to help her. Rukia was injured badly; she was pale and her lips just began to turn blue.

It was such a sight to see her ghostly body covered in dense layers of blood and ash.

Ichigo remembered it clearly and clenched his fist hard enough that he broke his once full glass of gin. The whole room noticed but did nothing. It was only Isshin who walked up to his son and gave the young _beta _a towel. Ichigo accepted the towel with a whisper and began drying his hand.

Yamamoto's solemn face glanced at the young wolf and sighed. He said nothing over the interruption; knowing that Rukia was the werewolf's mate, he didn't mention anything. The dragon looked at his followers and felt his own heart ache mutely at the empty spot. "As many of you might have noticed…" He began, "the British representative is not present." His hands both placed on the top of his cane, his head held high. He still was a man, a dragon, an Other who needed to be strong. "With a heavy heart...I must inform you all, the British representative, Unohana Retsu, passed away."

An echoed stillness washed through the room, many of the members that were standing wobbled and those who were sitting were glad they were. It was the sickly wizard, Ukitake, who spoke up first, "What do you mean?"

The elder dragon shook his head and repeated the same words. "How…how could this be?" Ukitake's accent became clearer as he rose from his seat, his heart beating in alarm and fervor, "Madam Unohana was one of the strongest members here; she cannot be dead!" Ukitake was then thrown in a fit of coughs and promptly sat down again.

"What are you not telling us, Senor Yamamoto?" Shunsui, the Spanish representative asked from where he stood, his customary happy grin gone and playful eyes now somber.

"She was murdered." It was Isshin who stated the harden fact, "When I went to save Rukia-chan, Unohana was in the same room, killed right on the spot."

"Police report?" Soifon asked from her seat next to Aizen.

Ichigo finished wrapping his hand with a new cloth to help stop the bleeding and reached under the counter to place the file on Unohana's death in plain sight. "According to the autopsy, she died around the time of twelve twenty. Right hand was crushed, three shots to the chest, beaten, and stabbed through the stomach with a knife. There were no signs of struggle; it was as if she took it all and accepted it."

"The enemies that entered and attacked the _Supra Natura_ had been confirmed." Yamamoto spoke as he looked over to his side and nodded his head at his white hair assistant, Sasakibe, to turn off the lights and to project the slideshow against the north wall of the room. "These were captured on the surveillance cameras. Look at these faces, memorize them, and know them." One by one, a small cluster of photos showed themselves. "These are the Espadas: Tia Hariberu, the third espada. Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, the sixth espada. Szayel Aporro Granz, the eighth espada. And lastly, Aaroniero Arruruerie, the ninth espada."

"Each and every one of them had entered the _Super Natura _with such ease, that none of us sensed their presence." Isshin spoke from the back, "They entered our territory with explosives, killed one of us and placed another in the hospital."

"Were they after something?" Hitsugaya asked.

"From what we recovered, they were after Kuchiki-san's research. Her notes were either burned or stolen. And since the book itself is now a pile of ash mixed with the wood of the hotel's furniture, it cannot be restored back with magic." Yamamoto announced.

"With the information gone," Komamura murmured, "Wouldn't they go after Senorita Kuchiki herself?"

Ichigo clenched his teeth at that, having those thoughts passed through his head ever since he began investigating. The only thing of Rukia's that survived was her enchanted purse, broom–that was at his house–one sketch pad out of three, and her wand. She had nothing more except for the clothing she was wearing during the incident.

"That was what I concluded. Kuchiki Rukia is now going under the protection of the _Llave __Negro del Destino _pack and the head of security, Kurosaki Ichigo." Yamamoto looked at the young wolf with a stern frown, "You are now responsible of Kuchiki-san's welfare. You will not be her partner anymore but her protector, will you accept?"

"Damn right I will." Ichigo firmly growled.

"Of course, who better to protect the nymph than her mate?" The elder dragon mumbled.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Two days later_

With the dead of night creeping on him, Ichigo sat alone in the park, smoking a cigarette by himself. The last few days felt long to him and yet they went by so utterly fast. The rush of _that_ night was still in his veins, he could still hear the screams and cries of terror in his ears. Whenever he closed his eyes, the scenes of that incident were clear.

However, at night, whenever he tried to sleep, the only thing he would see was her. He could see Rukia's face, her battered body when she was given to him for only a mere moment before he had to pass her on to the ambulance. She was light, close to the weight of a feather. Her eyes didn't flutter at all, she was barely breathing, and he was scared.

God, he was scared.

After that night, when he finally went back home at five in the morning, Ichigo felt tears rimming the bottom lids of his eyes. His body started to shake and then, he blacked out. The next thing he remembered was waking up to his phone ringing and his living room destroyed. He knew he was the one that wreaked his home and he didn't care.

Glancing up at the clouded sky, his mind wandered back to her. Wondering how she was. Not one moment was he allowed to see her after she entered the emergency room. He was told by the staff that his presence could affect her well-being, that it would be better that he waited until she was stable for him to see her.

It took Chad and four other pack members to drag a kicking and enraged Ichigo out of the hospital and away from the doctor who told him that. Not being able to see Rukia, being forced not to see her when he saw the condition she was in, even now it made him shake in fiery. While his mind gave into the request, his body didn't want to. Luckily, his mind won when Tatsuki made it clear with fist and loud words that if he saw her, he might be putting her in even more danger.

So, every night Ichigo would come to this park that was right across the hospital she was in. Hoping she would appear in the night's snow, almost waiting for her to appear before his very eyes.

He took another drag of his cigarette, his eyes droopy but still awake. His head was light, feeling the affect of the alcohol from earlier. He should be home, should be in his bed instead of sitting in the cold with snow still falling around him. But how could he when she wasn't with him? She should be with him, healthy and pleased instead of being in that hospital, sick and possibly dying.

"Rukia-san," A voice appeared behind him, "the three years that I have known Rukia-san, she always enjoyed New Years." Ishida who had his own cigarette in his hand sat on the other side of the bench.

Ichigo didn't bother to ask what Ishida was doing here, didn't bother to ask why he crept up on him like that. Ichigo just sat and listened to what the elf had to say. "She liked to say that New Years inspires everyone that still believes…to renew in their hopes. That when the world says, 'give up,' it's hope that says, 'try it one more time.'"

"Rukia places others on pedestals since she already lost her hope." Ichigo muffled out, "Same way she lost the way of trusting." The stillness between the two friends was interrupted when the sky lit up, fireworks shooting out in the distance and loud cheering could be heard all around them.

It didn't matter to Ichigo how awestruck the bright colorful flowers were in the sky, or how delightful they were meant to be. They look bland and grey in his eyes; normally, he would feel excited when he sees fireworks. It made him feel like a child again, it made him feel amazed that something so captivating was merely a very violent clash of chemicals.

Ah, but he felt tried when he looked at them now. He felt weary and exhausted, wanting nothing more than Rukia's soothing presence to lure him to a much needed sleep.

"She's a liar and a runner." Ishida said after the firework display ended. "Rukia-san, she can lie to anyone and when things get too hard for her, she'll run away."

"Even if she runs away, I'll bring her back." Ichigo smirked at him, "And when she's lying, what's more important is what she's lying about."

"Are you saying you know?" Ishida pushed his glasses up as an eyebrow ticked up.

"Sure do." Ichigo leaned back against the bench, "When someone is lying, they naturally can't look at you in the eyes, right?"

"Yeah, what about it."

"Rukia doesn't do that. When she's lying, she'll look straight into your eyes. Making it impossible to tell if she's lying or not." Looking down at his hands, he let go of his cigarette and stepped on it.

"Then…she's been–"

"–lying to us this whole time." Ichigo finished for him, "Maybe…maybe not. She could've been lying to us on almost everything, or she could've been telling us the truth. But, that's just my wishful thinking. According to her sketches, and if the date she placed on them are correct, she knew of the garden a week before she went.

"She went to that garden on purpose; she had business there and didn't want you to know. She drew a series of sketches; all are certain locations that she may know. I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to find all the pieces by herself." Ichigo snorted to cover his hurt, "She might even have the riddle we found at the garden all figured out."

Staring at Ichigo, Ishida pushed up his glasses and began to wonder what else she might be hiding from them. "You're not mad that she's been lying?" Ishida piped up.

"Nah, I can't get mad at her for more than three minutes. It's impossible for me. I can get irritated, annoyed, upset, but never mad…you?"

Ishida rubbed his temples and grumbled his agreement, getting mad at Rukia was a difficult thing to do. Sure, he'll get extremely upset, but it was mostly with himself.

The last three years that he had gotten to know her, Ishida saw the sorrow-filled eyes she had, and he had seen the kindness she have shown to others. Hating her was merely hard, not possible for she had many people who dislike her, but it was simply difficult. For one could only feel pity the young lonesome heiress, even if said heiress didn't want the pity.

Kuchiki Rukia who never tried to make a fool out of anyone who never picked a fight and who never did anything that would make one angry at her–well, at least not on purpose. Rukia was cold-hearted and blunt and probably the warmest person he known.

"Can she even trust herself?" Ishida asked, not really expecting an answer from his companion.

Ichigo thought about that, remembering the times Rukia and he spent time together and smirked. "She can. Rukia's just too worried about others that she forgets about herself. She's scared too, scared about what would happen if she did trust in herself. The only question left is if she still has the capability to trust."

From the ground, the whiteness of it, Ishida remembered her gloves. How careful she always was when it comes to her skin. How she always tried to be careful about touching others. How she always would wear gloves even when they go to the beach. The purity of them, the promises they held for her. She never took them off and when she did, she was vigilant with what she touches. It dawned on him, all of those times she did not wear gloves…

"She still has the ability to trust." Ishida said after mulling it over, "If she didn't, she wouldn't be wearing her gloves."

"Gloves?" Ichigo took out another cigarette and lit it, "What does her glove have to do with her wanting to trust?" He muttered.

"Such a young lady and yet she has to go through so much." A voice carried through the path of the park, shattering the conversation between the wolf and elf. It was from the shadows that two of the elder wizards appeared. They walked towards the two young Others, slowly becoming less of two grey blobs and more into two silhouettes of middle aged men. Ukitake with the cheerful Spanish representative, Shunsui, next to him, both dressed in heavy coats and Ukitake's face was a light flush pink.

Surprised at their sudden appearance, Ichigo and Ishida looked back and forth at them, both wondering the same thing. Why were they here and how could they have not sense them?

"You asked what her gloves have to do about her trusting," Shunsui reminded them. "I will tell you. Kuchiki-san…she wears glove to prevent her from reading the minds of other living beings."

"What are you saying!" Ichigo stood from his seat, stunned but not angry.

"Kurosaki-kun, you must calm down." The Ukitake smiled at the young _beta_, "We're here because after long deliberation, we decided to tell you two about a little secret."

"A secret?" Ichigo repeated, "About what?"

"Be respectful, Kurosaki. These two are vastly older and wiser than us," The Quincy elf scolded. "However, Kurosaki's right. What is it that the two of you want to inform us about?"

"God has faith." Shunsui told them, "Faith with us, Others and humans alike. However, he does test us, and damn how he likes to test us."

A pause, a long one was made by Shunsui and Ukitake who glanced at each other, obviously thinking how they should tell the young Others. It was Ukitake who sighed and gave a grin, "Kuchiki-san is the test; she is the secret."

"What?" Ichigo growled. "What test! What are you two talking about!"

"A test to see if we are still good. If we are still decent and virtuous inside. This test, it sets stages in Kuchiki-san's life that not only affect us, as creatures that know her personally, but the rest of the world as well.

"She's important; she's a test. One that cannot be failed because if it was, not only will Senorita Kuchiki will die, so will we."

"Die…" That word made a hollow echoed in Ichigo's mind, did he not suffered enough in the past week over Rukia almost dying, yet it didn't matter because of this stupid test? "I don't believe you!"

"And we don't really care," Shunsui said to the _beta_.

"We are not here to convince you, Kurosaki-kun." Ukitake said, "Only to make sure you are not blind when you realize what you are getting yourself into by becoming close to Kuchiki-san."

"But why does it have to be Rukia!"

"Destiny decided it was Kuchiki-san." Ukitake argued. "She is the test, the target, and our hope."

"So the Espadas…they want Rukia!" Hands were sweating; he felt the bubbling pit in his stomach that wanted to boil over. Breathing hard, his chest rose visibly and harshly, Rukia was in endanger, she always been endangered, and yet he only found out now?

All the attacks weren't for the information she was gathering, they weren't to destroy the Others but to get to Rukia. "They want Rukia…" The words sunk into him and it made sense. They were always after her: in D.C, the garden, and _Supra Natura_.

"This," Ukitake said, "is the secret we came to share."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Long after the two wizards left, long after Ishida left, Ichigo finally decided to head home. The sun was about to peak over the city's buildings, the air was cold, and the sky began to gain a dark orange and pink tint to it.

No matter how much he pried and demanded, the two wizards didn't tell Ichigo anything more about God's test. They didn't share any information beyond the fact that Rukia was an important entity to society. They left only minutes after they arrived, leaving him fuming and bristling and helplessly clueless.

The task of driving home was mindless; he drove and let his instinct guide his way home. His mind was rapture with Rukia's entrancing scent that was in his car. Light and breezy, lingering next to him in the passenger seat.

It was almost distracting but also comforting.

Without Rukia by his side, he noticed that he felt awkward, off balanced. It was weird to feel such a way, but it was the truth.

She may lie; she may not be the most truthful person he knew. However, he knew she wasn't doing it because she was a bad person. She simply was like him, someone who wanted to protect, and the only way she could protect others was by having them know nothing.

Ichigo frowned as he was pulled out of his musing by his cell phone, freeing the phone from his pockets. He, like most time, didn't bother to check who was calling him. Instead, he flipped the phone open and answered. "Kurosaki."

"Oh, Ichigo-kun, how are you this fine morning?" On the other end of the line was Urahara, as perky and joyful as always.

"As fine as a morning can get," Ichigo grumbled, "And why are you awake at this hour? You usually wake up at the crack of noon."

"Because I found something that you might like, and left it at your house."

"How the hell did you get into my house, Hat n' Clogs?" Ichigo was not in the mood for Urahara's tricks and pranks.

"Ah, that's my secret, but I suggest you go home and see the surprise! I pulled some strings so I can get the present to stay at your place, there's also note of instructions that you have to follow when you get home!" Urahara sang the last words before he hanged up with a laugh.

"Wha–why that bastard…" Ichigo felt a vein twitch on his forehead and decided not to call Urahara back for the sake of his own sanity. While his godfather was a good man, he was one that knew, just like Isshin, how to tick Ichigo off without even trying.

The rest of the ride went uneventful. He kept his mind on the one thing that made him comfortable and when he arrived home, it looked the same. Streaks of dimmed sunlight stretched over his house and across his lawn. Ichigo parked and when he got out he took a large whiff of the air, wondering what Urahara left him.

Too bad he couldn't, there wasn't anything special in the air, just the fresh morning sun scent he liked. The snow covered his house, the ground he stepped on, and the trees surrounding his home. It was quite a sight; it gave him a faint warm feeling of knowing he had a place to call home.

"Waiting outside is going to get me nowhere," He half chuckled as he shut his car door and placed the alarm on. Ichigo took his time getting to the front door. He dragged his feet and fumbled with his keys, not really looking forward to whatever Urahara left for him.

Opening the door with a push, the inside of his home was covered in shadows. Taking another whiff of air, he tried to locate the package Urahara supposedly left for him but found nothing in his living room or kitchen. "That bastard better not left it in my room…" Ichigo snarled as he began to take off his clothing as he went up stairs. He left his pants in the living room with his socks, and his shirt was on the stairs with his tie.

Indifferently, he reached for the knob of his bedroom door, stopping to press his ear against the door for precaution. Urahara and Isshin were known for the pranks they like to pull on Ichigo, something the young _beta _did not appreciate. Hearing nothing but the ticking of his clock, Ichigo shoved the door open with his foot.

Arms up ready to defend himself for anything that may be launched towards him. Ichigo did not move until he was sure nothing was going to pop out and when minutes collected themselves to be fifteen, he finally entered his room. He placed his wallet and gun holster on his dresser, and took off his wife beater as he looked on the ground and tables in his room for his gift.

His eyes finally landed on the bundle that was under his covers. It was on the center of his bed, unmoving and not making a sound. Another whiff told him nothing of what was under the blankets, but as he got closer, he saw there was a note lying on top of the lump.

Not bothering with the note, he went to pull the covers away and cursed when he was shocked so badly he was sent flying to the wall. "Fuck!" Ichigo howled as he rubbed his head and glared at the package under his covers.

Only that man would put a spell on a gift. When Ichigo was younger, Urahara always mocked Ichigo by putting spells on all of his gifts, making the young boy read the card of who bought him the gift before actually opening the gift.

Something about being respectful and polite towards others.

"Damn perverted shop owner!" Ichigo ripped the note off the covers, knowing that he had to read the note out loud to lift the spell off his bed.

_Ichigo-kun,_

_It's me! Your most favorite godfather in the world. I know you have a scowl on your face as you read this, but I promise the present is worth it!_

_Before opening your gift, first of all, you have to make sure she takes her medicine (I left it in the kitchen cabinet, it's a white pill bottle with her name on it) until her shoulder wounds are healed. Make sure you don't move her shoulder too much because it's still sensitive. We're not sure when she's going to wake up, but she'll get up to use the restroom and eat all by herself. If she does wake up, please make sure she eat some witch herbal candy to make her heal more quickly._

_Your most favorite person in the world,_

_Urahara!_

Ichigo gaped at the note, rereading the words over and over again, felt his heart beating quickly. Whipping his head towards the lump under his covers, he hoped this wasn't another prank. He hoped Urahara wasn't pulling his leg and as he ripped the covers away from his bed, his room was immediately flooded with winter roses and orchids.

It was intoxicating, his mind was hazy and his heart was skipping beats at the pace of his excitement. Curled in his bed, wearing her hospital gown with hands curled around a pillow, and hair spread like a wing embraced was none other than his mate, Rukia.

Ichigo scolded himself when he felt his pants tighten and increase in temperature from her current state of dressing. Why couldn't she wear something that didn't allow him to see the panels of her delicate back or the sheerness of her panties?

He got closer to her, noticing the large dark–but fading–bruise on her right shoulder and the freshly healed skin on her face. "You're still a beauty, Rukia…" He whispered into her ear, tenderly touching the light bruise on her forehead with his lips.

With the stillness in his room, he could hear her breathing and her heart thumping against her chest. Her eyes fluttered as she dreamed and her nose scrunched when he kneeled on the bed and grabbed her by her waist.

Slowly, he lifted her up, his hands trembling as he pulled her body close to his and felt her weight in his arms. She was warm, cheeks were flush pink and lips were plump and begging to be kissed. She looked nothing like the night he had given her to the paramedics; there was no hollowness under her eyes, no blue in her complexion.

She mewled in protest as he moved her but she soon got herself comfortable, shifting her arms carefully, looping them around his neck as she laid her head in the crook of his neck. His arms wrapped around her body, getting her to settle on his lap as one hand sneak its way into her hair.

His back met his headboard, his legs stretched out and his face leaning gently against her head. Relief and bliss washed over him, made his heart want to explode in warmth and his lungs give out in pleasure. He didn't want to let go, he didn't want her presence to leave him, and it didn't. For a few hours, he held her in his arms and even fell asleep in that position.

It was when it almost noon that he awakened, the rays of sunlight appeared through the cracks of his blinds, stinging his eyes. Looking down, he saw her small form in his arms, she was still hugging him.

Removing one of his hands from her waist he swept the hair covering her face away, letting his finger guide across her smooth cheek. He wanted her awake; he wanted to see the irises of her eyes, the deep sapphires that were outlined with murky amethyst. "If I kiss you…will you wake up?" He asked her the same question, nuzzling the side of her head until he found her lips and gave her a chaste kiss.

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**A/n: This was 13 pages, so I hope you all enjoyed it! Please review and I'll see you next month! **


	14. Chapter 13

_**A/n: The long awaited chapter is here…and happy one year anniversary for me! On Nov. first was the release of **_**A Glass Orb **_**and I want to thank every one of you for reviewing and supporting me so far. **_

_**Also, an announcement, Lovemydogs, who have been my second beta-er, left me for personal reasons. (Thank you for all your help, Lovemedogs.) So, the position is now open once again, and if anyone is interested, please send me a pm. **_

_**I want to add on that becoming my beta-er is not that demanding, I'll send you a chapter once a month, where "you" will check spelling, grammar, and awkward sentence structure. And a benefit of being my beta is that you will know/read the new chapter before anyone else. **_

_**(Edit: I have a new beta, so there is now no need to pm me, thank to those who answered and thank you GhibliGirl91 for being my new beta!)  
**_

_**Now, enjoy the new chapter!**_

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_**Chapter 13**_

_**Inalcanzable**_

There are moments in our relationship when I lose her.

Sometimes, she's unreachable that even I can't hold her down. Even with that serious expression she wears, she's always in the clouds. Keeping an eye on the world below her, believing that she doesn't have right to join the rest of us–me–down here.

She has this habit of locking away all of her feelings, avoiding me when things start to become too complicated between us. "I do not believe in love, it is just a label of the fondness we feel towards a person." She once said to me, "A cruel illusion given to us."

I would snarl at her, tell her that I'm determine to call her bluff and prove to her that neither she nor I can deny these feelings we have for each other.

She won't accept the truth that our desire to be together is so strong, that it couldn't be anything less than love.

This ribbon of fate that brought us together–no matter how much she denies it–is what lets us know that we belong only to each other.

No matter how far away she goes–how far she tries to run or fly. I'm going to bring her back and make her realize that she does have a spot here on earth.

Her place in life is standing right next to me.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I am not sleeping beauty," She murmured and caused his eyes to widen, "I am not even a princess…" Rukia glared at him with her eyes still murky with sleep, "And…why do you have that creepy looking smile on your face again?"

Ichigo ignored her insult and his smile widened even further, "You're awake…"

"Of course I am, the strong smell of tobacco woke me up…and can you please stop rubbing your face against mine? Your stubble is hurting me." She tried to sound stern but she yawned during the middle of sentence as she moved her face away from his.

Ichigo would have none of that as he caught her chin and pressed her forehead against his, "I don't want to."

"You dare deny me?"

Ichigo didn't bother to answer and instead kissed her again. He let his lips move against hers slowly, and she soon started to respond. She slanted her head to the side, too sleepy to care about anything but the fuzzy warmth spreading inside of her.

Gradually the kiss deepened and Ichigo's hands found their way under her robe, causing her to gasp slightly and granting his tongue access to her sweet mouth. She moaned under the ministration and his mind shorted out when she tangled her hands in his hair and met his demanding kiss.

Rukia was weak in his arms, supple, and for once, willing. He wasn't sure if it was because she was groggy from sleep or actually wanted this. But the more he kissed her, the more she tried to get closer to him and press her creamy body against his. He began to realize that she was too unfocused to control the pent up sexual tension she had for him.

God, he just wished she wouldn't come to her senses too soon.

She arched her back as his lips left her and began tenderly attacking her neck, biting the soft flesh and making her moan. One hand went up the planes of her back and took hold of the flimsy sting that was holding her gown together. With a tug it came undone, fell off her lithe body, and gathered on her thighs.

"Ichigo…" She whimpered when his hands latched themselves on her waist and his head licked down her neck. As he made his way down her body, to her breast, Rukia gripped one of his hands and grasped his shoulder with the other. She whispered his name and the husky sound made Ichigo's mouth dry and his body melted.

Under his tongue, she was just silky skin, inviting and snug flesh. The first time he actually stripped her down completely, after the garden incident, Ichigo was shocked to find out that she had absolutely no body hair. Of course, she shied away from him and gave the bossy respond that nymphs were born without body hair.

Ichigo smiled into her skin, giving the top of one breast a kiss. They might be small, but they were perky and soft, fitting into the palm of his hand fully. As he caught one pink nipple in his mouth, Ichigo was trying hard not to explode over the constant motion of her hips grinding against his.

A woman of her stature shouldn't have such long legs, generous thighs, and curvaceous hips…but it was downright sinful to have an ass like that. Then again, he was an ass and legs man. He should pray later and thank God for being so kind as to giving him a mate with those attributes.

Ichigo wanted to give into the maddening pleasure she was evoking with her movements. She just kept on rolling those hips, pushing hard against his pulsating member–she was surely trying to kill him.

Snarling, Ichigo let go of her pink nub that was now beet and shifted them so he was on top and her back was against the mattress. Her gasp quickly turned to a moan when Ichigo opened her legs and settled himself between her thighs. He wanted her to know what she was doing to him; he wanted her to know how much he wanted her. He pushed himself into her heat; let her feel him fully as he captured the other nipple, wanting to give it as red as he did the other.

"Ichigo," Rukia groaned and pulled his head closer to her breast as she met his hips and forced her core up against his ample rod.

"Fuck!" Ichigo cursed. He was going to lose control and he knew it. He was going to rip off her panties and take her right then and there, but his damnable cell phone started ringing. It caught Rukia's attention and made her slow down. "Ignore it," He told her after he kissed her hard enough that she gotten dizzy from it.

He wouldn't let a phone call ruin something he wanted for weeks; he was not going to let whoever it was on the other line to block him from finally mating with his woman. His cell phone finally died down and Ichigo thought as he grabbed her panties in one hand, that there weren't going to be anymore distractions.

He really hated when he was wrong.

The house phone began to ring, loud and clear. Growling, he kept ignoring it, focusing only on the sounds Rukia was making and the sound of her panties becoming nothing but rags. He gave Rukia another kiss, long and mind blowing when he heard a male's voice.

"_Ichigo, we've got an Espada. Come to the station soon._"

He lifted himself up and leaned over her on his elbows. He looked down at her, so flush and needy, so willing to give him everything. One hand came out to cup her cheek and she leaned towards it with a tired smile on her face. He loved her. His heart would pound loudly against his chest just by hearing her name by simply looking at her or catching her scent in the air, he felt stronger, determined, and at peace.

The love between them felt unreal and yet he felt that it was the only thing real in his life. She pulled him down and kissed him, asking for entrance to deepen the kiss that he gladly allowed.

"I've got to go," He mumbled and she stared at him for a few short seconds before she kissed him again. "Damn it," He breathed out in a chuckle, he didn't want to leave, not after all the bull shit he went through. He didn't want to leave her, her warmth and love. "I'll be back soon," He said before he kissed her and got up. "Wait for me."

Grabbing fresh clothing, Ichigo ran into the bathroom and prayed that the shower would cool his pulsing cock and then dressed as quickly as he could. In less than ten minutes he was ready and gave Rukia one last soul wrenching kiss that wanted to bring his finally settled member back to life. "Wait for me, Rukia."

Rukia was sitting up on his bed, her body wrapped only in the thin sheet. She pulled him down by his tie and whispered in his ear, "If you promise to wait for me, Ichigo."

Tearing himself away from her body, he told her quickly about her medicine and herbal candy she should take. With a longing look, he left his bedroom and ran outside to his car. Bring the vehicle to life and hearing the roaring of his beastly wolf inside of him howling for blood. Whoever the Espada was they caught, Ichigo was going to make sure he was going to get all the information he could out of the bastard.

While mating with Rukia and claiming her as his alone was on his priority list, what topped those desires was the need for Rukia to be safe. Protecting Rukia was his main concern.

Alone his room, Rukia glanced around and lay down. Her lips trembled and her heart ached, "No," She cried out with a bitter smile, "I do not love him. I do not…" She rolled onto her stomach and let out another cry into the pillow and curled herself into a ball. She ignored the pain in her head and the terrible ache in her shoulder. "What am I going to do? He cannot get involved…I do not want him to die…"

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 1_

"Ichigo," Chad met the _beta _wolf at the entrance of the police station and led him to the back.

"Which Espada was captured?" Ichigo asked as he was given a file by Tatsuki.

"Szayel Aporro Granz, the eighth Espada." The female wolf answered, "He was caught sneaking into Kuchiki Rukia's hospital room–"

"What!" Ichigo stopped in his tracks, rage built in him. It hadn't even been more than a week and they were already trying to kidnap her again. "What for?"

"We don't know, he won't answer us."

"Too bad," Ichigo snarled, "Then he has to answer to me then." Handing the files back to Tatsuki, Ichigo went to the interrogation room, not pausing to greet his employers as he smoothly opened the door.

Handcuffed to the chair with invisible binds and a strong spell cast around the room, the eighth Espada looked aloof and threw Ichigo a grin. "I see…they brought one of the big dogs to play with me." The pink haired man laughed, "I hope this will be more fun!"

Ichigo sat across the table of the man, pulling his chair out and sitting on it with distaste. "Afternoon, I'm detective Kurosaki Ichigo," He grunted, "I'm about to ask you a series of questions and you'll answer them all truthfully." Ichigo demanded, "First of all, let's start out with your name."

"Hm…I thought you already knew my name, Kurosaki," Szayel shrugged his shoulders, "Oh well, I'll appease you. Eighth Espada, Szayel Aporro Granz."

"Eighth Espada, what does that mean?"

"An Espada is a hybrid of a hollow and an Other," Leaning back on his chair, Szayel relaxed himself, "I rank eighth out the ten Espadas, and before you ask…I'll give you the names of the members according to rank," He said confidently, "Coyote Starrk, Baraggan Luisenbarn, Tia Harribel, Ulquiorra Cifer, Nnoitra Jiruga, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, Zommari Leroux, me, Aaroniero Arruruerie, and Yammy Riyalgo."

Ichigo hands balled up when he heard what Espadas were and let loose silent cruses when he heard Grimmjow's name. As much as he wanted to know where Grimmjow was located at, he first needed to know what happened the night _Supra Natura _was attacked. "Where were you on the night of December twenty fourth?"

"At the Others hotel, of course. If I recall correctly, it's called the _Supra Natura_."

Ichigo was silent, wondering what the Espada was playing at, telling him everything directly and boldly. "What were you doing there?"

The eighth Espada laughed, "You know damn well what I was doing there, Kurosaki! I, with my team, placed bombs at the hotel. The pack of C4 that we got away with, you remember! You were there after all!"

Scowling, Ichigo stood up and slammed his hands on the table, "What was your goal there?"

"To prove to your little group that we, the Espadas, aren't messing around, that we are a real threat to your happiness. But not only that, our goal was to burn that damn book, little Miss Kuchiki found, to kill the fucking Unohana bitch, and to get a blood sample."

"Blood sample?" Ichigo growled, "from whom!"

Szayel's grin went wider, more crazed as he bent forward and said in a sick whisper, "Your mate, of course." Ichigo's fist rammed into the eighth Espada's face. He felt the bone of his cheeks break and some teeth went flying out. "Looks like," Szayel laughed, "I hit a sore spot."

"What do you want with Rukia?" Ichigo snarled, grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt. Chad rushed through the door a few seconds after Ichigo hit the Espada.

"Everything," Szayel chuckled and Chad needed to restrain Ichigo from attacking the prisoner again.

"Calm down, Ichigo." Chad grunted as he tried his best to calm down the _beta_.

Nostrils flaring angrily, Ichigo slowly counted to five in his mind. Letting those five digits soothe down his rage. The veins in his forehead and hands pulsed, his eyebrows were still furrowed, and his blood rushed through his body as he stood there. "What do you mean everything?"

"Your mate…she sure is a special one, I bet she even knows how much her life is worth. She's a test, a caretaker as well." Szayel wanted to laugh and instead coughed up blood. His eyes began to droop but there was still an insane look in it.

"Hey," Ichigo went and grabbed the other, "What do you think you're doing?" As Ichigo watched he cursed, "He's poisoned! Get medic–"

"These next two years," Szayel coughed as foam emerged from the corner of his mouth, "Are the most vital years for your happiness as Others and for the life of….little Kuchiki Rukia."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Ichigo hands were on the Espada's collar again. "Don't you die!"

The eighth Espada chuckled as he choked and gave a smile. "You…can't save her, mutt." After those words, Szayel's eyes rolled into the back of his head, his hands went limp but there was still that smile on his face as more foam overflowed.

Ichigo let the man go, staring impassively at the body as he growled, "Don't tell me what I can't do."

Ichigo left the room, leaving the door wide open as he walked to his office. His trademark scowl on his face as he sat down in his chair, files was piled on his desk. He went through them, skimmed them, and threw them across the room.

He was livid, he was pissed, but most of all, he was scared. Even if he didn't want to admit it to anyone and jammed the emotion into the pit of his heart, Ichigo could freely confirm the feelings to himself. Why couldn't he grab Rukia and keep her safe in his arms? Why did they have to go after his mate?

He didn't understand, and how he hated other males knew more about his mate than him. He cursed again and stood up, making his chair crash against the wall as he went searching for Chad.

He was directing the medics to get the dead Espada from the interrogation room. "Who brought him?" Ichigo asked with his voice stern and rough.

"I brought him in," Chad said, "But I had help."

"Help? From whom?"

"From me," A voice came from a room that door just opened. Tatsuki first stepped out and was followed by a man that was the very same height as Ichigo. Red hair pulled back and tribal tattoos were printed on his eyebrows and forehead, the tattoos went down to his neck to only disappear into his shirt. "Abarai Renji," The man spoke.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the man, "You're…human."

"You got a problem with that, wolfie?" Renji growled.

Ichigo scowled, "It's Kurosaki Ichigo and I don't really have a problem with you being human, but with you being able to stop that man."

Renji fixed his suit as he glared at Ichigo, "Just because I'm human doesn't mean I'm ignorant towards the Others. I had blessed weapons on me."

"Then, thank you for helping us. Tatsuki already questioned you, so you can leave for now. But I hope you know we are going to contact you again." Ichigo gave a huff and was about to walk away when the Renji asked him for a person. Ichigo stopped and turned around, "Who are you looking for?"

"The American representative, Kuchiki Rukia." Renji stated, "I was sent to Japan by her father."

"What do you want with her?" Ichigo's body tense, he began to think maybe this human was aiding the Espadas that were after his mate.

"Why are you asking? Do you know where she's at?" Renji took a step closer to Ichigo, almost challenging him.

"I'm asking because I'm responsible for her." He snarled as Chad's heavy hand on his shoulder, reminding him that he was still a man of the law. "Why did you come here for her?"

"I got orders from her father to take her home to D.C." Renji saw a shade of color disappearing from the werewolf's face and pressed on, "She isn't safe here and–"

"No," Ichigo hands were in fists, his shoulders were tense and coiled. He lifted his head and looked Renji straight in the eyes and felt a fire inside of him. "You're not taking her away from me."

While Renji may not know this man, he knew Rukia very well. The softness of her smile when treats were given to her by the house cook; the way her eyes twinkled to life whenever she finished a drawing.

He's known her since she was five years old–they were only two years apart and would play with each other in the Kuchiki's garden. Even as a child, he'd seen the charm and elegance that Rukia had. The subtle kindness and gentleness she had. Rukia was a beauty like her mother; however she had more bold colors in her features.

Even though taught to be a lady, she would still bend the rules when she heard something she didn't like. Even if she got scolded at the end of the day by her nanny, Rukia always left the room with grace and dignity. Never appearing ashamed of her actions, she was one of the most admirable women in the aristocratic society.

When she first started to go to galas with her father, it was common for the men she met to become smitten with her. He knew this because he was one of those men, but he had a crush on her since they were kids. Now, as he saw the raw emotion in this wolf's eyes, Renji was amazed at the intensity of it.

And it clicked, "You're in love with her." Renji murmured.

Ichigo didn't look surprised. He didn't blush or looked nervous at the declaration, "Yeah, I am."

"Since you're a wolf that means…"

"She's my mate. You can't take her away from me." Ichigo restated, "It's against the Others' law."

Renji cleared his throat and felt the squeezing of his heart. He had given Rukia up already, years ago because he knew he wasn't good enough to be by her side. He already knew he lost his chance with her many times, nothing was going to happen between him and her, but it still hurt. "I still have orders from her father."

"And I have orders from the head councilor of Others." Ichigo rebutted. "So you might as well–"

"Ichigo!" Tatsuki jogged up to them, looking slightly panicked, "I just got a phone call."

"Congratulation," Ichigo growled.

"It's from Keigo you jackass! He's at your place! He said he was going to be late because he got a call from Kuchiki-san, who was asked by you to ask him to come over. He then said something about Kuchiki-san only wearing a shirt when he was cut off and I've been trying to reach him for the last five minutes!"

Ichigo got a cold splash of water thrown onto his face as he searched for his phone while he ran to his car. Before leaving the station, he was already barking out orders. His hands shook as he turned on his siren and left the police station. Why couldn't there be a moment of peace when it came to Rukia, "Please," Ichigo growled as he speed pass cars, "I just got her back."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ichigo was the first to arrive at his home; he parked his car astray and tripped as he ran out of the driver's seat. Before leaving, he got Tatsuki to stay behind with Renji and had Chad as back up.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled out as he slammed his door open and saw Keigo on the living room floor. From the looks of it, he wasn't injured but knocked out. Ichigo was more bothered by the fact that the young satyr was only wearing his boxers.

He should be concerned over his friend, but Ichigo couldn't help but think Rukia could be hurt or possibly dead. Ichigo stepped over his friend and raced up stairs to find his bed empty, warmth gone. Only her lingering scent stayed behind, "Rukia!" Ichigo still searched his entire upstairs, his heart racing and worry creeping into his soul.

Hearing Chad downstairs, Ichigo checked his upper level on more time before heading down. Seeing Chad with an awakening Keigo, "She's not here." Ichigo showed his back to his friends, not understanding what just happened and not wanting them to see his face.

He was left alone, again.

"Of course she's not," Keigo slurred out.

"What do you remember?" Ichigo asked while he looked at the top of his stairs, almost anticipating Rukia to appear.

"I got a call from your cell phone, but I was surprised when your mate's voice carried through the line. She said you wanted to talk to me." Through the shooting pain in that back of his head, Keigo smiled, "and she said it in the prettiest way ever."

"Keigo, You better remember who you're talking to."

"Ha…sorry," Keigo fixed himself up, sitting with his legs crossed. "I agreed and came over, but when I've arrived, I remembered I was on duty today so I called Tatsuki. Half way through explaining myself, I heard a thump at the stairs and saw Kuchiki-san." Keigo had a dreamy look in his face and a large smile, "She was only wearing a shirt, probably one of yours, and nothing underneath. I saw a flash of thigh and was close at seeing her–"

Ichigo whipped around and grabbed his brown hair friend by the collar, "If you finish that sentence or that thought, I swear…"

"I saw nothing!" Keigo blurted out, laughing to himself nervously. "Now back to the story, Kuchiki-san came downstairs and knocked my phone out of my hand, cutting my call with Tatsuki. She asked, 'Where is my wand? My purse?' I answered, thinking nothing of it since my head was filled with…other things." Keigo smiled sheepishly at Ichigo who had a look of annoyance as he continued, "She then told me, 'Tell him I will be back.' And hit me over the head with something. Next thing I knew, I was being woken up by my buddy, Chad."

"Ichigo?" Chad's voice rumbled, "Do you have an idea of what she's doing?"

Ichigo cursed, "Yeah, I know what she doing. I'm just wondering why she couldn't wait for me?" He stood still, hoping maybe the answer was going to be given to him, but when five seconds passed, there was still no answer.

When he walked to the kitchen and looked at the counter, he saw that her medicine was gone. He saw his cell phone there and was staring at him guiltily. He stuffed it in his pocket, and moved quickly. "Come on! If she wants all of her stuff then she's heading to Ishida's hotel!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ishida glanced at his watch and scowled when another minute went by. The snow was gathering on his shoulders and the sun was already gone. He had been waiting for almost twenty minutes when he saw Ichigo's car rolling up. When the _beta _got out of his car, he had a thinly veiled look of desperation behind his usual scowl.

"She's gone," Ishida said calmly.

Noting the way Ichigo's face fell and anger pooled into his eyes, Chad and Keigo came out of the car. Keigo was wearing one of Ichigo overcoats, "So it was your clothing that Rukia-san was wearing." Ishida said stiffly as he threw a plastic bag towards the satyr, "I made her change clothing before she left."

"How far ahead of her is she?" Ichigo huffed.

"About twenty minutes," Ishida confessed, "She came for her stuff and left only seconds after she arrived. She acted as if the devil was chasing her…maybe he was?"

"Do you know where she's heading?"

Ishida looked at his long time friends, brothers even if not blood related, "To whatever that riddle was pointing at, too bad we don't have a copy of it."

"Did…she say anything?"

Ichigo was nervous, Ishida saw this and he was pretty sure even a blind man could. "She said, 'Waiting is a virtue.'"

"She's telling me to wait…" Ichigo sighed as he rubbed the back of his head and remembered what she told him before he left that afternoon. He knew there wasn't anything more he could do, she was gone without a trace. No one knew where she was going, and luckily neither did the Espadas. "Why aren't you as worried as I am?"

"While you may be her mate, Kurosaki, I have known Rukia-san longer than you have. This isn't the first time she disappeared. However, she's not alone, she took Rangiku with her."

Ichigo looked at Ishida with an annoyed face and muttered, "Sure, she'll take her friend but not her mate."

"Aside from that, we don't even know where she's at, and that means the Espadas don't know either." Ishida watched Ichigo from under his glasses, feeling bad for the _beta. _But Rukia's spirit was like the ever changing moon and with her gone, Ichigo was lost.

"Kurosaki, remember when I told you that Rukia was the type of person that would run away?" He looked up at the sky, seeing the snow becoming less noticeable. "I'm wrong. She doesn't run away, she goes looking for herself." Ishida turned around and walked back into the hotel, not before saying, "And when she comes back, I will grantee you, she'll stay by your side forever."

Ichigo gaped at the elf openly and quickly caught him. He put on his scowl and walked away, getting back into his car with Chad and Keigo without saying another word. Keigo peeked over the car seat and gave a goofy smirk, "Is it me or are you blushing, Ichigo?"

Ichigo punched the satyr in the face and grumbled, "That's for those perverted thoughts you had about Rukia." As fast as he could, Ichigo drove home, kicked Keigo out of his car and waved Chad good bye.

His home was empty and cluttered. The silence echoed and as he went upstairs, he still had a spark of hope that Rukia would appear right before him. In his bed, waiting for him, naked and only covering her modesty with his bed sheet. So when he entered his room half past nine, there was no light, no warmth, and no heated scent in his room.

Rukia left and he knew this time he couldn't run after her. "_If you promise to wait for me, Ichigo_." The last words that left her mouth, it brought a faint smile on his mouth. He wondered if he asked her what she meant at that time, she wouldn't have left. But Rukia was like a bird, willing and thriving to be free and wanting to show her wings. She would have left with him knowing or not. Even if he hated it, raged and roared his disagreement, she would still leave and he would still feel like crap.

Ichigo went mechanically through his nightly routine. He ate, showered, and dressed himself in his boxers and lay down on his bed, shifting his head to where Rukia had slept. Her scent covered the sheets comforted him and brought some hope back to his bruised heart. Ichigo stared at the ceiling for hours, just thinking of her and the recent events that had taken place in the last week.

He wasn't sure how long it had been before he turned his head and saw the moon high and bright in the clouded sky. He was sure it was past midnight and the wolf inside of him clarified it. "Day one," He mumbled at the moon as winter roses and orchids lured him to sleep.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 1_

Rukia uncurled herself and sat up. Blinking away the tears that wanted to run, she stared at her hands, curled and uncurled them. She bit her lips when her shoulder ached. Even with the melancholy that was burrowed into her heart, Rukia felt a drop of joy in there. Blooming and flourishing the more she thought about why she had that joy in her.

She brought her legs up, minding her injured shoulder as she rested her head on her knees. She was quiet for a moment as she thought and her lips twitched. She noticed how her skin was warm, flushed and tender from Ichigo's ministrations. She felt as if a splash of warm minty water hit her, and the tingling sensation that comes right after, continued to assault her body.

Pondering to herself, she admitted to the lone bed sheet that she half wished Ichigo didn't have to leave to work. She wanted him here, with her. The curtains were pulled apart, and the winter's afternoon sun streamed into the room.

Rukia still felt like she didn't deserve him, but there was something about Ichigo she craved. He was a man among men. His loyalty to his family and friends were awe-inspiring. His eyes spoke of great honesty. He had an intense desire to protect everyone he cared for. Then, there was his strong, righteous mind that made him the bravest man she ever met Underneath that tough façade, was the kindest, most beautiful heart Rukia had even seen.

It startled her though, the fact that she knew him so well. She never knew how it happened. While everyone pegged Ichigo as a hero, as a man that could never be defeated, she knew that he was still a normal werewolf–a man that had wants and needs. A man who was still mortal and needed help.

Ichigo was no god. A hero, perhaps, but he was still mortal.

He was a man whom had a sort of power over her, a power that made her not want to give up, even if she was scared to do so. His presence could make any day feel like it was the most glorious day she had ever lived. His molten amber gaze filled her with heat and made her feel alive.

Rukia's smile widened as her fingers ghosted over her lips. They were puffy and moist, and she hoped that maybe she would find Ichigo's musky taste lingering there. Her eyes softened at the thought, and the splash of joy she felt slowly returned to and stored away for another day.

Reluctantly she moved her legs and her feet touched the floor. The bed sheet covered her chest, but her back was bare to the winter sun. When she felt the solid hardwood under her feet, Rukia stopped and asked herself, how did she wake up at Ichigo's?

Flashes of Christmas Eve passed through her eyes and astonishment slapped her in the face. Hastily, she wondered what day it was and went to look for a calendar but stopped when she found Ichigo's digital clock, glowing red 2:30 p.m., and the date of January 1st.

She was out for a week? What had happened in that week? What happened to the hotel? Isshin who went to save her? The Espadas? Miss Unohana?

Rukia cursed loudly and got up from Ichigo's bed to only muffle a pained moan when her shoulder shifted a bit. A numbing, stabbing, sensation shot straight to her knees. Rukia fell onto the floor from the pain and squeezed her eyes shut as a bead of water escaped her eye.

Miss Unohana was dead and Rukia couldn't do anything about it. She felt her breath shorten, and soon enough she was gasping for air. "No," She rasped out as her asthma attack became stronger. Unohana's lifeless body was at the forefront of her mind as she tried to calm down. Usually, from what she heard from her doctor, asthma attacks were triggered by stress and panic, and Rukia tried hard to control her wheezing.

However, as she did, Miss Unohana's corpse slowly morphed into someone taller, bigger, and masculine. Yet all she could picture now was Ichigo's lifeless body, and all she could think about was her failure to help him.

What had she done?

"Please…" She ground out and then she heard it.

Time.

The dropping of sand in an hourglass; the sand going through a tiny tunnel to fill the bottom half of the glass. It was loud in her ears and it calmed her down. Her wheezing became gasps that ended as heavy breathing.

She had time on her side and she was going to use it.

Weakly, she stumbled her way onto her legs, and used the wall as leverage. She gradually regained her balance and her nausea left her as well when she noticed her state of undress. Blushing shades of red, Rukia looked around for something to wear and turned positively scarlet when she saw her discarded and ruined panties on the floor.

"Idiot," She mumbled as she opened Ichigo's closest door and saw a row of dress shirts. Grabbing one, she it on as she let go of the bed sheet and buttoned Ichigo's shirt up. It was large on her–it reached her knees and fell off one shoulder–and normally she would choose more appropriate clothing, but smelled like him. She would prefer something more modest and her size, but it was the best for now as she walked out of Ichigo's bedroom.

She made her way stiffly to Ichigo's kitchen and wished with every step that shoulder were already healed. Those constant aches and pains were really getting on her nerves. So, when she entered the kitchen and saw medicine with a witch herbal lollipop on the side waiting for her on the counter, she gave a half-hearted smile. There on a piece of paper lying next to the candy was a note with Ichigo's chicken scratch on it.

_Don't forget to take your medicine after you eat. _

_-Ichigo_

After she read it, she carefully touched the note as if she feared it might disappear from her sight. Grasping the paper, she tucked it in the little pocket the shirt had as she followed Ichigo's instruction. She went to the fridge, made an easy sandwich and ate it before drinking her medicine.

Her nose twitched in distaste, but she washing it down with a glass of milk. Soon after, she was sucking on her lollipop, thinking what she should do next. The image of a dead Ichigo still haunted her mind and the creeping sorrow she kept at bay was trying to overtake her.

Too many things were happening to her and all she wanted was to be in Ichigo's arms, and she wanted to know if she was allowed to be, if she could allow herself this happiness.

Looking up from the counter, Rukia saw Ichigo's cell phone, sitting on the living room table. Looking at the microwave, she saw the time and remembered that Keigo usually had the evening shift.

A plan began to form in her mind and she knew what she had to do.

She made a few preparations and called Keigo. When he arrived, she knocked his phone out of the dazed man's hand and asked him questions before she stole his clothing. Where she was going, she would need a thick winter coat and his was much smaller than Ichigo's. From the closet that was in the kitchen, she found her broom and smiled.

How long had it been since she went flying?

Rukia took one more look around Ichigo's home, told a sleeping Keigo she was sorry, and touched Ichigo's front door goodbye. "I will be back," or at least she hoped she would be. "Sorry, Ichigo." Opening the door, the bitter winter air stabbed against her cheeks as she stepped outside. Teeth clattering, skin covered in goose bumps, and her body shivered.

She needed to go to Ishida's, she needed to get her things, and know what had happened to her. Rukia leaned against her broom that was already hovering above the ground, and looked up towards the moon.

She flew.

A blast of cold air became snow that soon became numbing water against her skin. She never flew this high in the air, but without her wand, she couldn't cast an invisibility spell. As she soared across the sky, she looked down on the city. She saw the cars driving, people walking, and the Christmas lights still glittering.

When she arrived at Ishida's hotel, she snuck in by using an open window on his floor. Luckily, she knew what room he was staying in and knocked on the door. Ishida was surprised when he saw Rukia standing there, wet and pale from the cold.

The elf quickly rushed her inside and handed her a towel. Ishida called Rangiku to his room, telling her to bring clothing. "What happened to you Rukia?" Ishida asked, and noted that she was not even shivering from her current state.

Rukia shrugged and turned away from him, "That is not important."

Ishida watched her closely and sighed loudly before falling onto the couch, "Where are you going, Rukia-san?" Rangiku entered the room and raised a brow at the question.

"That is a secret for me to know."

The fox woman gave Rukia the extra clothing, "What are you doing here, Rukia? Shouldn't you be in the hospital?"

"Ah," Rukia perked a smile on her face. "I'll tell you about that later, but right now, I need to talk to you, Ran-san." Rukia turned to Ishida, "I'll change in her room."

Ishida thought nothing of it, letting them go together. Mere minutes after that he remembered that he stored Rukia's personal things in Rangiku's room. As a witch, she could use her spiritual senses to locate any magical items.

Sweat rolled down his neck as he rushed out his door and went to Rangiku's, forcing it open when Rukia pointed her wand at him. She had her magical pouch hanging from her wrist and she held her broom with the same hand.

Nothing was else was said except Rukia's message for Ichigo. Rukia backed away, opened the large terrace window and was about to leap out the window when she was stopped. Rangiku looked at Rukia with a pleading glance and Rukia smiled at the fox woman. "Come on," she told her dear friend, "It looks like you need a break."

"Sorry, Ishida." Rangiku followed Rukia as they jumped out the window and flew into the night sky.

"Rukia-san! Rangiku-san!" Ishida yelled out, but it was too late. They already vanished into the clouds, out of his sights. The moon was in the sky now, hanging there proudly and lovingly. "Where are you going with that look in your eyes, Rukia-san?"

Up in the air, Rukia gave Rangiku a small smile, "Are you sure you want to come with?"

The blonde held Rukia tightly from behind, her chin resting on the witch's left shoulder. "Of course, you're going because you want to confirm something; it's the same with me. I need to know how I feel about _him_. And the only way is to escape for a bit."

"I see," The air was cold but somehow refreshing and sweet.

"Rukia," the blond murmured, "Where we're going…is it warm?" The fox woman smiled when she felt Rukia's body shaking lightly with laughter.

"Hopefully, but after we come back from our _petit vacation_, maybe we'll be the warmest creatures in the world."

"Hopefully," Rangiku repeated, "Maybe."

Hours passed by as they fly, Rangiku was falling asleep and the water in the air hit against the light barrier Rukia placed on them. She wanted to ask Rangiku about these last few days, but instead she decided she would leave it for another day. It was then Rukia looked at the moon, at the large milky crescent.

She looked down at her hands. They were clenched around the hilt of the broom, red at how tight she was holding the broom. Underneath the clothing she had on, she still was wearing Ichigo's shirt and used one hand to pop the collar. With soft eyes, she inhaled his aroma and felt as if she was back in his arms.

But first, before returning to him, she needed to face something. Looking at the moon she whispered, "Day one, " and she took them both down, waking the fox woman from her slumber as gravity pushed against them.

* * *

_**A/n: 16 pages of goodness, well at least in my opinion it was goodness. I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter like I enjoyed writing it! **_

_**Please review! **_

_**Lots of love, **_

_**Blueteam101**_


	15. Chapter 14

_**A/n: GhibliGirl91 is my new beta! Thank you for all your help and I hope we will continue to work together, GhibliGirl91.**_

_**You know, I really like it when I get flooded with new ideas but I hate it when it got nothing to do with this fic. Hm, thankfully, I am determined to finish this fic! And finish it I will!**_

_**Also, I want to thank everyone that voluntary to be my beta: **_

**OuTlaw GigabyTe**_**, thank you for your offer and I wish the best of luck with your own fic. When you publish them, don't forget to tell me, I would love to read them and get an insight of your own creative writing.**_

**Mikie-From-Ireland**_**, your support really warms my heart and I want to thank you for your offer. I'm sending you happy vibes and I like I said before, weird people make the world much more interesting!**_

**Bun800**_**, thank you for noticing how hard I work on this fic and your compliment on my writing. It means a lot since I always hated how I wrote things, from essays or stories in general. And thank you for offering to be my beta, lots of love from me to you. 3**_

**IchiRuki77**_**, thank you for following my fic, and thank you for you offer to be my beta. You seem to be someone that is fill with joy and I bet you are a delightful person to be around. Lots of love and thank you!**_

_**This chapter is dedicated to all of you, thank you very much and enjoy!**_

_**

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**_

_**Chapter 14**_

_**Women**_

The beginning of spring was her favorite season. She loved the new smells and vibrant colors that appeared after months of winter. She would take her children to the country side, to take a stroll around the lake and then later have a picnic beneath an apple tree.

It was on this spring break, after he'd been living in America for months, he visited her and she told him a little secret. "Women are fragile things." She said, "No matter how strong they appear, no matter how stubborn they are, and no matter how intelligent they might be. We are brittle creatures who want to be loved." The chestnut haired mother smiled, "However, most women would disagree or deny what I said…because it's a secret that we all want to keep hidden.

"These types of women, who want to hide this detail, are the ones you would want to stand by you. A woman who can wear her tears like jewelry, a woman that can soften a man and not weaken him, that is the type of woman I hope your mate will be, Ichigo."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 2_

"Ichigo…Ichigo!" The _beta _wolf snapped his eyes on to his father. "Is there something you want to talk about, son?" The _alpha _had a concerned look on his face. Isshin, and most of the Others community, had already found out what happened to Rukia. She left without any warning, notifying no one, and left no clue to where they could find her.

"No, I'm fine, pop," Ichigo turned to stare out of the window again, already forgetting what he came to his father's office for.

Isshin sighed but continued with what he was talking about before nonetheless, "I'll take your word. Now, as I was saying, it's going to be pricy to rebuild the _Supra Natura _but that's not why I called you in, Ichigo."

Ah, now he remembered why he was here. His dad was going to give him an assignment involving the _Supra Natura_'s future reconstruction and security.

"The plan is to boost up the security." Fixing his reading glasses, Isshin dug in his desk draw for a paper and handed it to Ichigo, "I want to add a new device that Urahara invented. It's a protective barrier against hollows. But it's going to take a week or so to set up."

Ichigo looked at the invention, nodding at the design and the intention behind it. "So, you want me to double or triple the guards for the hotel?"

"If possible; I trust your judgment, son."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 2_

Staring into space, Rangiku was sitting on the sun bed with a blanket around her shoulders. The ferry they were on was small but clean. Gliding over the sea gently and swiftly, the sun was barely peeking out of the clouds and there wasn't any snow in sight. The only sign of winter here was the cool air.

Rangiku looked over to Rukia who was smiling sadly at the book she was reading. From the moment they left Japan, Rangiku noticed the conflict in Rukia's eyes. A mist of doubt, confusion, and anticipation hung over the young nymph.

It was when they first got on the boat that Rukia asked what had happened since she had been in the hospital. Rangiku just told her what she knew, from the small amount of Others that were killed to informing Rukia how long she was in a coma for before it shifted to her Kleine-Levin syndrome.

Looking down at her hands, Rangiku tightened them around the blanket she had on. Glancing at the warm glass of beer at her side, she wondered how long she was going to drown herself in alcohol.

"_You are not going to find your answer at the bottom of that drink_." Those were the first words Rukia ever said to her. Such a young girl, barely finishing puberty, and yet she sounded like an adult to Rangiku's ears. And she was right, Rangiku realized; she was never going to find her answer at the bottom of that drink, or any other.

"He left me," Rangiku spoke in English, and her voice carried to where Rukia was sitting, against the railing.

Rukia looked up from the book Ichigo had given her and towards the blonde woman and closed her book, memorizing the page she was on as she brushed her hair to the side.

"My childhood friend, the man I love and I saw a future with…he left me." Tears streamed from Rangiku's eyes, "And I don't understand why…"

The sea air was fresh and blowing strong, the curtains were pulled back but still fluttered with every stream of wind. Getting up from her spot, Rukia placed her book on the desk beside her and treaded her way to her friend.

"Everything was perfect, but we started to drift apart since he met _him _and became part of the Others Council!" Rukia listened to Rangiku as she stood in front of her. "Then…the night we left," Rangiku's sobs were bubbling up and she curled herself in a ball, trying to hold back her tears. "He said he had to leave!" Rangiku grabbed Rukia by the arms and brought her face up to the fresh air and sun where Rukia stood.

"Ran-san?"

"I don't understand…" She sobbed more, "I don't understand!"

~o~o~o~o~

_Day 4_

Scowling at the man sitting on the opposite side of the table, Ichigo was suddenly hit on the head by his father, "What are you doing, Ichigo? Don't glare at him!" The _alpha _hissed.

Growling, Ichigo looked away from Kuchiki Byakuya, also known as Rukia's father, and glared daggers at a random spot on the wall. Ishida's spot in the Others meeting room was taken by Renji. However, the elf, who been a part of this since the beginning, was granted entry to the room and was sat next to Isshin. Unohana's spot has been replaced with her silver haired daughter, Unohana Isane.

"Are we all clear?" Yamamoto boomed, "By this time tomorrow, I want every Others across the globe to be informed and prepared for the upcoming battle. This year, once the settlement between ourselves and the humans is over, they are going to recognize who and what we are."

Hours later, after a great deal more discussion, the meeting was adjourned and the next meeting scheduled for the following week. As everyone was leaving the room, Ichigo who had been following his father, felt a hand grab his shoulder. Ichigo and Ishida–who was walking beside him–turned around to see Renji standing there. Byakuya was just behind, standing straight and with pride, even if he had to use a cane to keep his balance.

"Is there something wrong?" Isshin asked, stopping when he noticed his son wasn't behind him.

"Mr. Kuchiki wishes to speak with you," Renji said as he stepped aside.

Rukia's father was a tall man, slender but slowly withering, although he still radiated self-respect. With his well kept but graying hair, an impassive face, and grey eyes that were strict and unwavering he stood in front of Ichigo, an inch or so shorter. The young wolf now saw the great resemblance between this man and Rukia. While they may not truly look alike in appearance, they shared the same apathetic quality in their face and posture.

"Byakuya," Ichigo greeted with a smirk.

"It is 'Kuchiki,' pup." The elder wizard ground out smoothly, unwavering in the face of Ichigo's offensive tone.

"Yeah, of course, now, what'd you want to talk about, Byakuya?" Ichigo used the wizard's name on purpose to irritate him. "I've got places to be and things I need to do."

"Certainly," Byakuya's face wore an expression that was blank and void of anything. "I have already been informed of your relationship with my daughter, Kurosaki. So, when she comes back, I do not want you anywhere near her."

Ichigo's eyes widened in rage, his lips curled back and he snarled, "What did you just say?" Isshin placed his hand on his son's shoulder, anchoring him to the floor. Renji, standing to the side had a hand on his waist, hovering over his holster. He was Byakuya bodyguard after all, and he was willing to shoot anyone who dared harm a Kuchiki.

"You heard me, Kurosaki." As aloof as always, Byakuya stared down at the young _beta _wolf. "You have proven that you are not fit to protect my daughter."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I should've punched him!"

"He's her father, Kurosaki," Ishida rebutted.

"So?" Ichigo growled as he patrolled Karakura's Park with Chad and Ishida. "He had no right to say that to me, to tell me what I can and cannot do!"

"The only reason you're reacting like this is because it's true." Ishida argued, "You couldn't protect her."

Ichigo was quiet, fuming as he stomped through the heavy snow. "I screwed up," He began, "But I know I can protect her." He didn't protect her, he fucked up once and he knew that, that fact was never going to leave him, not even in death. However, he still wanted to protect her, and he still was going to try to protect her. She was his mate, and he was going to make sure that she wasn't going to get hurt again. While he looked up at the moon, Ichigo swore and wanted to crawl into a hole.

"Then prove it to Kuchiki-san," Ishida wiped some snowflakes off his shoulders, "Get stronger and protect her."

Ichigo was about to tell Ishida the he didn't need the advice when there was a rumble. "What was that?" Chad finally spoke.

Both Ichigo and Ishida stayed quiet, listening to their surrounding when Ichigo said in a low harsh voice, "It's a hollow." He looked around him, trying to pinpoint where the hollow was coming from.

"It's coming from the left!" Ishida yelled as he ran towards that direction, "It feels like a powerful one!"

Ichigo quickly followed and passed the elf with his speed. He ran towards the trees, taking a short cut and arrived to see the large hollow roaming around the children's playground.

Ishida appeared behind him, Chad arrived shortly after. "Wow," The bulky chupacabra said, this being the first time he had ever seen a hollow. "That's a hollow?"

Scowling, Ichigo pulled out his gun as Ishida took out his bow and arrow. "Yeah, that's a hollow," Ichigo answered.

Pointing their weapons at the hollow, waiting for the moment it turns around. What they didn't expect was the hollow's large tentacles, slugging acid from its pores. Chad avoided the acid while Ishida threw his coat in the direction of the falling acid, cursing as it easily seeped through the thick cloth.

It wasn't a long wait when shots rang through the park and the hollow fell and disappeared, leaving nothing behind except for the acid victims; burnt trees, soil, and Ishida's coat. Grumbling about his coat, Ishida turned to Chad and Ichigo, wanting to finish their patrol when he saw Ichigo.

The young _beta _was scowling furiously and tenderly touched his cheek, right under his left eye. "Son of a bitch," he growled. During the attack, Ichigo was quick and didn't get touched by the acid that hollows had.

But the creature was smart enough to throw a claw towards Ichigo, if he was any slower, Ichigo would have been sure the claw would have gone through his head instead of skimming his cheek. The claws were laced with some sort of bacteria, and his werewolf's natural immune system wasn't fast enough to rid of it. Minutes after they left the area where the hollow perished, Ichigo had a scar under his eye. The new skin was smooth and a pasty white that stood out against his skin.

As they walk, Ichigo touched his new scar and asked after a long silence, "Do I at least look more badass with it?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 6_

Threading up a hill that had green glossy grass, Rukia pulled her newly purchased purple hood over her head and looked behind her. Rangiku, was dressed in new jeans and a t-shirt, and was breathing harshly, having a hard time walking up the hill.

They were in Las Isles Baleares, Spain, on the smallest island called Formentera. The Mediterranean Sea surrounded them, and as Rukia looked towards the east, she wondered how many days would it be until she could visit her mother's grave.

The sun was bright, the air crisp and lovely, and there wasn't a shred of snow in sight. Rangiku didn't mind the cold, but she wasn't a big fan of snow so this was her perfect winter.

"Hurry up, Ran-san." Rukia had her hands on her hips, ruffling her white dress "I want to arrive to the village before nightfall."

The blond growled and then cried out, "Why couldn't we take your broom to the village?"

"Because you sold my broom," Rukia mumbled under her breath before she went on ahead, ignoring Rangiku cries until she couldn't hear the fox woman behind her. With an annoyed sigh, Rukia turned around and walked to Rangiku, now sitting down. "Ran-san."

"Let's take a break, we've been walking forever!"

"We took a break thirty minutes ago, Ran-san." Rukia chimed but sat down on the grass. "At this rate we will arrived at the town past nightfall."

"Sorry about selling your broom." Rangiku garbled, "I thought we didn't have money."

"You thought wrong," Rukia stared straight into the clouds, "Oh well, I will purchase a new one once we arrive to the village."

"The church," The blond began to ask, "You think it's here?"

"Positive, thanks to the hint Unohana gave me, I am positive it is here." Rukia could feel Rangiku's eyes on her, but she paid no attention to them. Instead, Rukia closed her eyes, feelings the warmth of the sun hitting her skin.

Idly as she lay there, Rukia was thinking about Ichigo, hoping, maybe, that he was, perhaps, thinking about her, too. When she slept at night, he was always in her dreams. When she sketched, she would sometime draw his form. "I miss him," She said out loud, not caring if Rangiku heard or not, for it was true.

She missed her werewolf.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 11_

"Are we ready to pack it up, sir?" An officer, whose name Ichigo didn't know, asked him as he surveyed the burnt ruin of Rukia's old hotel room.

From what he saw, there wasn't anything to save except for what the department already picked up; ashes, ashes, and more ashes. It littered the room. It fell from the walls, furniture, curtains, and any random piece of cloth.

Under the smog of the ashes and mostly in the old bedroom, was where Ichigo caught a very faint, almost undetectable aroma that belonged only to Rukia.

"Sir?" The officer called again.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck, knowing that it was time to shut down and rebuild the top floor of the hotel. But something was eating away at him. There was something in this room that he needed to find. However, the more he looked around, searched and tried to discover anything, he came up empty handed.

Ichigo's voice was low, and his response was a muffled rumble from the back his throat. "Let's pack it–"

"I've found something!" Stopping in mid-step, Ichigo looked behind him, the young man came scurrying out from Rukia's bedroom with a clear plastic bag in his hand. "Kurosaki-san, I don't know what it is, but here."

In the palm of his hand, Ichigo viewed the bag given to him, and saw there was paper inside of it. Burnt on the edges, the already yellowed piece now tainted with brown laid in there, staring at him. There was writing on it , letters that he didn't really understand, and as he turned the page he saw a drawing. It looked as if it was painted with rustic pens and inks, and very simple.

A glass orb with streams of light reflecting off of it.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 8_

The cobbled path that would lead them to the abandoned church overlooking the sea, took them through a small dingy forest. There were no animals, no insects, absolutely no life. The trees looked burnt and dead, falling apart while the soil was either a black or an ash white.

It was this path Rukia fell onto her knees, breathing hard and pressed a hand against her mouth. "Rukia!" Rangiku was by her side, pulling Rukia's hair back.

"I am fine," Rukia coughed, "Nothing to worry about." Trying to appear at ease, Rukia got to her feet, taking out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth and hand free from blood. "Nothing to worry about," She repeated as she continued to walk.

Rukia noticed it before they even started to walk this trail; there was something in this forest that was taking her energy. With every step, Rukia felt more sluggish and tired while Rangiku looked perfectly fine. Her energy evaporated into the air like water, and left Rukia parched, her mouth dry like the dessert.

From her fingertips; from her eyes that burned every time she blinked; with every exhalation of breath, Rukia felt her magic leaving her. Clouds of cold steam coming from inside of her and being absorbed by the forest, and she wondered where they were.

"We are almost there," Rukia said to a concerned Rangiku, "We will get what we need and then go back to the village, we will even look for a place to sleep for the night."

"After getting whatever it is in this church…we're not going to back to Japan are we?"

"Do you wish to return to Japan?"

"No, I think I need this vacation from my vacation." Rangiku laughed and then smiled wide, "Hey, can we get some drinks later on?"

"I do not drink, Ran-san, I am underage." Rukia bluntly chimed as they were approaching the exit.

"So? Live a little!"

Quickening her pace, Rukia pushed dead branches out of her way carefully, "I will 'live a little' after this whole ordeal is over." With one more push through some trees, Rukia and Rangiku found themselves on a cliff over the sea. The cobbled path still continued up the hill and finished at the entrance of a large house with a light house connected to it.

"Hello..." Rangiku chimed from behind. Unlike the dead forest, the hill was alive. Lush grass grew tall; the light house was covered in vines and it called to them.

"Come on," Rukia said as she moved up the slope, marching on with Rangiku close behind. A few more strides and they were at the entrance of the church. The modest double doors wouldn't open until Rukia sent a strong wind spell to fling them wide with dust exploding into the air. Putting her wand away, Rukia stepped forward as she looked around the old room.

"What are we looking for anyways?" Rangiku piped up.

Glancing quickly behind her, Rukia kept walking into the church, unsure how to answer Rangiku's question without making her sound like a fool.

The blonde figured out the answer with Rukia's silence and sighed deeply, "You have no idea what we're looking for, do you?"

"I have a clue," Rukia gave a half hearted smile as she maneuvered herself over fallen logs and furniture that littered the church's floor.

"Wow, what happened here?" Rangiku's question carried throughout the room, soon followed by an echoing silence. They both could smell it in the air, the nose scrunching and hair prickling smell that made Rukia sneeze from the scent of it. Just like the forest, the church gave out an odor of death, maybe even worse.

Everything was burnt and destroyed, from the ceiling to the once white walls of the room. The tiles on the floors were all cracked and flung from its place. At the base of some walls were almost unrecognizable chairs and tables, it seemed as if someone threw them against the wall in a fit of anger. Paintings and statues of the church's deity were destroyed. Dread filled Rukia but she pushed that feeling aside and went deeper into the ashy tunnel. She had come too far to back away, because of some gnawing feelings in her stomach.

But she wasn't the only one, as she strung her way through the church; Rangiku was so close behind her that her knees bumped into the back of Rukia's.

Both women looked around the church for anything that might give a sense of importance but they found nothing. Not in the main room, the hallways or the cloistered rooms in the back of the church. There was nothing. Rukia frustratingly stood in the middle of the sanctuary, her hands placed on top of her hips.

She was getting nothing.

There was no sense of magic, no jolts of interest in her blood. She wondered what she was truly looking for.

_If there was anything to look for._

Rangiku was still searching for any clues, not bothered when Rukia stopped looking. She was, in fact, becoming more curious to whatever Rukia was suppose to find. She stepped over a stone tile and she noticed something odd about that piece of the floor. On the corner there was an engraved picture but from the size of it, she couldn't tell what it was. It looked like a beast, a large cat and as she squint she realized what it was. "It's a dog!" She exclaimed and touched the engraving.

"What is a–" Rukia voice faded as she felt rumbling underneath her feet. Mouth agape as the trembling became more forceful, Rukia looked over at Rangiku who only gotten on her feet when the floor underneath Rukia gave out and she fell into the pit of the church's soul.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 11_

"Hat 'n Clogs! Where are you!" Ichigo barreled into the shop, his eyes looking for his target. "I know you're in here, you perverted shop keeper!"

"Ah, is that anyway to speak about your poor god-father?" Urahara appeared behind a curtain, a fan in his hand and his two children behind him.

"I need to know something and I need to know now!" Ichigo moved forward, not wanting to give his uncle a chance to create a lie or an excuse. "I know you better than most, and I know when you are hiding something from me. Both you and my old man, but that's for another day. Right now, I want to know about the Espadas, about Rukia, and about this." Ichigo pulled out the piece of paper from Rukia's hotel room. "You have to tell me what this is."

"Jinta. Ururu. Can you go out and play?" The siblings looked at each other and frowned at the request but did so. Jinta pulling on his sister's bangs as he went outside mumbling about not being respected enough. Urahara smiled and mumbled about them being like their mother before he motioned Ichigo to come in, "Ichigo-kun, follow me."

Urahara led the young _beta_ to the back of the shop again. Tessai briefly appeared with tea before he left once again; doing whatever Urahara paid him to do.

"The day Kuchiki-san entered this place, the first time she came here she was with you." Urahara sat down with his cup of tea in his hands and was blowing the white steam off the top. "Do you remember?"

"Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?" Ichigo asked, sitting across the shop keeper, not touching his own tea.

"Do you remember what you, or rather, what she asked for?"

Ichigo glanced down to his gun, the handle gleaming a polish black. "Wasn't it to get my gun and claws blessed?"

"Correct. Do you know the price for getting a something blessed?"

Cursing Ichigo growled, "I'll pay you back later, but tell me what this picture means!"

"She paid for it," Urahara stared straight into Ichigo's eyes, not faltering one moment as he continued. "The price to get something blessed cost half of one's soul. She, not only paid for her own blessed weapon but yours."

"What are you–"

"I'm saying, technically, Kuchiki Rukia is dead." Urahara calmly took a sip of his warm tea, "She is not with us anymore, yet she roams the earth. That drawing, that orb that you see on that piece of paper is the only thing keeping Kuchiki-san alive."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 8_

"Rukia!" Rangiku screamed as she stared down into the hole, looking for any signs of the young heiress. "Rukia, can you hear me!" Pitch blackness, not even the streams of light from inside the church could reach the floor of the pit. Then, a flicker of light appeared in the blackness, waving at Rangiku before it grew and she could see the front of Rukia's dress. "Rukia, you okay, hon!"

"I think I'm bleeding, again!" The nymph yelled out, but her voice came up muffled, she was gripping her wand; the tip glowing a dim white and rested on top of her chest. Her head was in pain, and she felt as if she was lying in a puddle of mud.

"Where?"

"My head!"

"It's official; you need to get yourself a helmet!" Rukia fought a grin at the comment and rolled over; placing her hands on the floor and pushed herself up. She wobbled for the first few seconds and looked up to where Rangiku was looking down. "What do you see!" She called down.

Making her wand glow even brighter, Rukia looked down and frowned. She indeed fell into a puddle of mud. Her coat and dress covered in the sludge, but she didn't have time to and instead looked in front of her.

Her glow of light gave her a good amount of light, enough to light up a large ballroom in the _Supra Natura_, but it wasn't enough to light up the cave she was in. "It is too big for me to illuminate!" Rukia called out, "There is also mud on the ground, so there must be a water source somewhere in here!"

Then, in the glow of her white light, a wispy tint of blue bathed the corners of Rukia's eyes and as she noticed it, it seeped into her light, and drenched the whole room in blue radiance.

~o~o~o~o~o~

The cave being pitch black once again, and worried that she couldn't see Rukia's light anymore. Rangiku started shouting, "Rukia!" She yelled down to the nymph, "You there, hon! Is everything okay!" Receiving no answer, Rangiku stumbled onto her feet and ran towards the front of the room. She grabbed some candle sticks–thanking whoever was looking out for her when she remembered she had a lighter in her right pocket.

Rangiku gave one last scream of Rukia's name before she closed her eyes and jumped down into the dark. The fox woman didn't know what she might find down there, but she only hoped she could find Rukia.

The sensation of falling was awkward; an unwelcome feeling that she still didn't understand why Rukia liked it. Then again, a caged bird would want to experience everything about flying, even falling.

Landing on almost soft mud, Rangiku gasped and cried out when she felt the dampness consume her clothing. She stood up hastily, and looked up towards the opening of the cave. She saw that it wasn't at all deep, a floor down, more or less.

And there was light.

"Are you crazy?" Rukia's voice carried towards her, and Rangiku saw her jogging up to her in the pale blue light, "That fall could have killed you!"

"Luckily, it didn't." Rangiku wiped herself down and looked at Rukia's current state. Dirty, with mud on her clothing and hair, some streaks claiming her right cheek and there was a light flow of blood leaving her forehead.

"You look nasty." The fox woman stated as she walked up to Rukia, grabbing the young girl's chin and tilting her head to get a better look at the wound.

"Thank you," Rukia said as she perked her right brow up, "I could say the same for you." She pulled away from Rangiku's hands and walked away, smiling slightly at the fuss Rangiku was making as the blonde woman tried to fix herself up.

"Rukia, that's not funny…" Rangiku turned around to face Rukia and was stun at the sight the nymph was walking towards. "How is this possible?"

Where Rangiku stood was right on the soft mud they landed on, but Rukia being only a few steps ahead was standing on grey stone. "Magic, of course," Rukia answered, "There is no such things as 'possible' when it comes to magic." The floor she was standing on was vast, covering miles ahead of them and led to a broad set of stairs. The blue light came from the top of the stairs, probably on a platform and Rukia was already on her way there.

"Come on," Rukia's voice was soft and firm as she walked. Having taken off her shoes because they were filled with mud, she found herself on the cool stone; water ran over the surface continuously and through her toes. "It has to be up there."

Then she felt a wave of warm energy hitting her, calming her senses and making her feel drunk with contentment. Rangiku was talking to her, she knew she was, but Rukia couldn't hear a thing but a pleasant hum in her ear. As weak as her body felt, her energy being drained to its last drop, her soul felt so much stronger.

With little concern for her body's state, Rukia arrived at the base of the large steps and began to climb. Water slipped from the top, cleaning the girls' hands, feet, and knees. The steep steps were hard to climb, Rukia relied on her hands whenever her knees gave out while Rangiku watched from behind, making sure the young nymph wouldn't slip and fall to her untimely death.

"You need a break, Rukia." Rangiku's words went unheard.

The blue hue was incredible, brighter and more hypnotizing. Rukia trudged forward, struggling for air, sweating as her eyes blurred, and her soul screamed to reach the top. Underneath her sore finger tips, the stone had a carved design which lit up whenever Rukia touched it and faded away when she moved on to another section of stone.

It took far longer for Rukia to reach the top, longer then she liked. But now she was only one step away. Her hand stretching out to take a hold on to the top floor, the final step, she dragged herself up with Rangiku right behind her.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 9_

The hospital buzzed with life, but the moment he entered the front office Ichigo could smell the too clean scent and felt the hollowness of death inside. He pushed through a crowd of people and slammed into the front desk. "I'm looking for someone by the name of Matsumoto Rangiku!"

"Fourth floor, room 397," barked out Ishida, who just arrived, as he quickly walked to the elevator. "Come on, Kurosaki!" Ichigo left the stunned and stammering receptionist and entered the elevator. "Who told you?" asked the elf as the doors shut.

Ichigo bristled beside the elf and grumbled out, "The old man, you?"

"Abarai," Ishida took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

It was close to four in the morning when they got the call about Rangiku being hospitalized, but it was strange that she was in Karakura's emergency hospital before being placed in a hospital room. As far as both of them knew, she'd just appeared out of nowhere. There was no word about Rukia being with the fox woman.

The ding was heard and both of them ran out of the elevator, rushing down the halls and avoiding the nurses and bystanders as they searched for her room. The pair skidded around a corner and stopped when they saw Renji sitting outside a room. Waiting.

"The nurse is inside," The red head announced, "Rangiku just woke up so she's checking her out."

Ishida was panting while Ichigo stood next to him calmly, "Do you know how she arrived here?"

"Of course," Renji stood up, "I brought–"

"She wants to see you," The nurse told them when she opened the door, "it has to be quick though, she's still in a delicate state." The nurse said nothing else; she simply nodded and left with a glance back. From the color of her scent and the scent of her perfume covering the stench of death, Ichigo concluded she was a vampire.

Renji was the first to walk into Rangiku's room, following Ishida and Ichigo. The blond woman was looking out the window, her eyes desperate when they landed on Renji's form, desperate for answers, "Rukia! Where is she!"

"Wait," Ichigo marched forward, "You don't know where she's at! Weren't you with her, how can you not know!"

"We were attacked and I was knocked out!"

"That doesn't mean–"

"Calm down, Kurosaki." Renji snarled, "Rangiku just woke up, she's confused and you yelling out her won't help your situation!" Turning to Rangiku, Renji attempt a smile and sighed after failing. "Rukia's fine."

Ichigo didn't know what he saw or why he did what he did, the young _beta _just got a handful of Renji's clothing and slammed the poor human into the wall while he snarled, "How do you know?"

"Because…" The tension was strong, Rangiku's eyes flickering between the two men. Wondering the same as Ichigo, "I met up with her after the attack; I was the one who brought Rangiku to Japan."

* * *

_**A/n: Whoo, almost 15 pages! Also, I can't center certain things, I don't know if it's my computer or the FF, so I'm going to still publish it and see if I can fix it later. **_

_**Thank you all for reading and please review. I think I am more than half way done with this "Book 1." Not too sure if I should create a new fic link thingy, or simple add onto this one and put "Book 2" on the new chapters. Ya know, like "Book 2, Chapter 1." **_

_**Tell me what you think; so, thank you all for reading and please review!**_


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: I guess I should explain some things for those who are wondering why I didn't update last month. Well, some personal issues came up (some may know I am getting married in May) so I've been very busy. Then, there have been some technical issues and a tight schedule with my new beta-er that she had leave.**

**So, this chapter was beta by **_**ftb-churro**_** and my new-new beta, **_**Mikie-From-Ireland**_**.**

**Then, to **_**Rima Touya-Rose**_** I don't really know if there is more fan art for my fic, as far as I know.**

**So, please enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

_**Chapter 15**_

_**Forgiveness**_

To forgive and forget is a too perfect solution. It doesn't make sense in human nature; it is a confusing way to resolve a problem.

It would be a lie to say we forgot the wrong doing we did to each other. How could we after the pain you and I went through, the isolation we felt within. Then, to say "I forgive you," might make us feel uneasy, since you and I will always remember.

We can forgive, but we cannot forget.

By us not forgetting, can it be another way of saying that we do not forgive each other? Should forgiveness not be like a step back in time–to close your eyes, say a little spell, and it never happened?

However, since it is impossible to step back in time. I do wonder, if forgiveness cannot change the past…can it improve the future? Can it improve our future?

And all you say to me was, "Does it matter? We make mistakes and we have the courage to admit we are wrong. Even by saying 'I'm sorry' doesn't mean I expect you to forget, I want you to know that I felt bad for the mistakes I made and I'm not going to do it anymore, or attempt not to do it anymore. In other words, whenever I'm saying 'I'm sorry' to you, at least, I'm also saying 'I love you.' And you know I am a man of his word."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 9_

"You son of a bitch!" Ichigo's fist met Renji's left cheek, "You saw her and didn't bring her back!" The werewolf lifted Renji off the floor with one hand, glaring at the man who he wanted to only beat his frustrations out on. "Wasn't it your assignment from her father to bring her home, where she's safe?" The _beta_'s fist strike, quick and effortlessly made a large puncture next to Renji's head, the wooden wall giving away under Ichigo's strength.

"Let him go, Kurosaki!" Ishida frowned at the large display of Ichigo's testosterone. "Let the man speak before you knock him out."

"Is she alright?" Rangiku's voice, low and rosy, asked. "She wasn't hurt badly, right?"

Renji pulled himself free from Ichigo's grip and wiped his hand across his bruised cheek and cursed when it stung more than it should have, "Fucking mutt, you fucking broke my bone! Shit!"

"I'll be breaking more than that, Abarai!" Ichigo snarled, "Answer her! Is Rukia alright?"

"She's fine," Renji spit out some blood, "roughed up a bit but she was wide awake when I saw her."

Ishida pushed the vivid Ichigo aside, "Abarai, how did you know where to find her?"

"Easy," Looking up at Ichigo's face, Renji smirked large even if it hurt his cheek and said, "She called me."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 8_

"Dear God, look at you Rukia," Hours in a plane and minutes of running had landed Renji in a small town in an island in Spain, at an inn where Rangiku was passed out on a bed, bruised and pale, with a solemn looking Rukia who sat near a window drawing in her sketchbook.

"I did not ask you to come here to tell me how I look," She already knew how she looked anyways. Her forehead had fresh stitches, there was a bruise on the lower left side of her chin, her clothes ruined with mud and ripped apart on certain places from her earlier fight. Finger tips were raw and just stopped bleeding, and she never felt so small before. "I want you to take Ran-san back to Japan with you. I was foolish to bring her along with me."

"You were foolish just by leaving, Rukia!" She didn't respond, she just kept her fingers busy and her eyes focused. "Can you at least tell me what happened?"

"We were attacked by three large hollows. One was killed by Rangiku, the second by me, and the third slammed Rangiku to the ground and threw her to the side. My wand was taken away from me and the area we were at drained most of my energy." Rukia paused, mulling over the words she was about to say, "when I was about to get crushed, killed…that does not matter. All that matter is that someone, whom I do not know, saved me."

"How?" He demanded and she did not answer, he asked another question instead, "Well, did you see their face?"

"No," She answered quickly, not wanting to talk more, "just take her home."

"What about you?" Renji stormed forward, "People are worried about you, Rukia! Your father is in Karakura right now taking your place!"

"Is he?" Her response was hollow, just like her eyes. "Then, send him my regards once you leave."

"Send?" Renji's blood was running wildly, "You didn't just fucking say that to me!"

"Language and indoor voices, Renji," Rukia's eyes lifted to Rangiku's sleeping form.

"How can you be so calm? You were attacked, you're hurt, Rangiku's hurt, and yet you want me to leave you here?" Rukia continued sketching, "What're you trying to prove? What are you looking for? What are you doing, Rukia!"

Shutting her book, Rukia stood from her place and walked out of Rangiku's room. Lips sealed and ears ignored Renji's sputtering of words. She had her bag in hand–she already bought a new broom and other necessities she needed for her trip–knowing where her next destination lay, all she needed to do was fly.

"Rukia!"

"You are too loud." She finally said. Having led the both of them outside, in the fresh air, Rukia furiously glared at Renji openly. "I did not ask you to come all the way out here so I can listen to your reason; for I truly do not care for it. I called you because I want you to take Rangiku back. She does not belong here."

"Neither do you!"

"Silence!"

"I'm worried; Ishida's worried, Isshin and Momo, too." Renji clenched his fist, looking away from Rukia and up towards the sky, "Even that _beta _mutt is worried about you. Don't you want to see them again? Aren't you worried about them?"

Rukia played with the corner of her sketch pad and turned towards him. Her eyes staring straight into his eyes, cold and unmoved, "No, I am not." She lied, she was good at it. It was a gift she acquired after many years of practice. "Take her home." She ordered.

"Not without you! I'll tie you up and drag you back if I need to!"

"With what force?" Rukia walked forward, "You have no control over me, you cannot cage me and I promise you, you never will. You want to take me back and I will tell you, I will not go with you."

"Fucking hell!" Renji cursed even more into the air, not giving a damn who would catch his colorful language. "Being so stubborn, as always, tell me! What are you trying to do, what is your purpose!"

Her purpose, she didn't clearly know herself. What was her purpose? All she knew was that there was something "off" about her and it all started the moment her mother died. She may not know why but she was going to figure out what was happening now instead of years earlier. Maybe it was meeting Ichigo that gave her confidence that made her want to know what she was getting herself into.

"That is a secret," She responded, "a secret that I will not tell you and you can either accept or deny it, and does not matter anyways, I will not leave with you."

"How long do you plan to stay out here, then?"

"Not long…a week or so; it may be less." A short stillness and she admitted to him that she did not know how long she was going to be gone.

"I've known you since you were five, Rukia. I saw the struggles you faced and I know I wasn't a good friend to you back then. I was busy with my own shit, I forgot everything…even you. I don't want to leave you here alone…but I can't change your mind. No one could after you're dead set on something."

"Thank you."

With a grumble, Renji took the backpack he had on and set it on the floor, "I have something for you." Unzipping the backpack, he pulled out a golden bundle of fur and placed it on the floor. "He's been crying for you ever since you left D.C."

Rukia blinked at the fur, seeing the way it uncurled itself. Arched its back and stood up, as it twitched it gave a sneeze. She gave a jaded smile to the back of the creature, "Nice to you see again, Kon."

The bundle of fur became still, its ears twitched some more before it turned around and ran to Rukia. Mentally crying out into the atmosphere, "_Nee-san_!" The little lion cub wrapped its arms around Rukia's leg. Rubbing his face against the smooth texture of her skin, "_Oh, how I missed you! The house's been so boring without you, and no one pays attention to me either_!"

Grabbing the cub from her legs, Rukia held her pet as it clung on to her, "Why?" She directed the question towards Renji.

"Just in case," Renji murmured, "you didn't want to come back with me, you have someone to look out for you."

"I see…thank you." Rukia bit her lip and fidgeted as she decided to ask him a question she had wanted to ask since seeing her old friend. "That werewolf, the _beta_…how is he?"

Renji scowled, not wanting to discuss about the wolf at all, but she asked and he smoothly answered her before going back into the hotel to get Rangiku and fly back to Japan. Not wanting to talk or listen to Rukia anymore.

"He recently announced he has a mate."

Not even noticing the way Rukia's heart swelled shut with ice and dropped to the void of the floor. Her small whisper carried to the wind and met no one's ears except for Kon's:

"How foolish was I to think that I was his…his–how naïve."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 9_

Renji, of course did not tell the group in the room the whole story, just a brief summary, leaving out Rukia's last question and his answer to it. They didn't need to know that much, they only asked what happened, and he answered.

"You brought her Kon?" Ishida asked, "Out of everything you could have brought her: food, blankets, money?"

"The poor cub had been throwing fits to see her again," Renji huffed, "and with that creature by her side, she can sell it and get loads of money!"

"Renji," Rangiku growled, "Rukia loves Kon, even if he's a pervert."

The last word Rangiku spoke perked Ichigo's interest and he started to ask what Kon was. But between the arguing of Renji, Rangiku, and Ishida, Ichigo couldn't get a word in. Growling, he finally barked out, "Stop!" Ichigo stared at everyone and asked them again, "Who and what the fuck is Kon?"

Ishida wanted to groan at Ichigo's increasing testosterone level and pushed his glasses further up his nose, evenly telling Ichigo who Kon was. "During my first summer living as Rukia-san's caretaker, she wanted to go to the market for some herbs and ingredients she needed for her witches' studies. It was during this time that she caught a sight of the runt of the litter, the never aging lion cub, Kon." Ishida shook his head in disgust, "The owners were going to feed Kon to a chimera, just because he was the runt, weak and small. Rukia-san, forgetting the reason why we went to the market, stepped in and bought Kon," Ishida smirked and kept a chuckle hidden beneath his fist, "right after that, she slapped one of the owners over the head and froze the other for being cruel and idiotic bastards."

Ichigo let a small grin pass over him as he heard what Rukia did, impressed at her actions. "So, Kon is an animal?" He asked.

"An enchanted one, he can even speak to you through brain waves. He's Rukia-san's 'dog' in a sort." Ishida clarified.

"Alright, but there is one more question to ask," Ichigo turned to Rangiku who was playing with her hair. "What happened on that island that landed you here? What happened to Rukia?"

Rangiku became silent, staring at her hands to find a string to begin her tale. "When we left…when we left we headed to Spain. Flew from here to the island of Sardinia, Italy; we took a ferry to those islands in Spain. Nothing much happened until we found the light house that doubled up as a church as well."

"Was that what she was looking for?" Ichigo asked, "A church?"

"Yes, it was a building she was looking for. We went inside, looked around a bit and I did something that made the floor under Rukia collapse. She fell–that was where she got the gash on her forehead–and I jumped in afterwards. And it was amazing." Rangiku's breath shortened and dried, "Beautiful and underground, there was no light except on top of this large stone stairs where there was a blue hue that guided our way there.

"A pyramid type of structure, but it had a flat surface on top and there were engraved markings on the stone as well. We climbed and climbed, and we finally reached the top. In the center of the surface, there was this charm, a talisman sort of thing." Rangiku held out her hand, "It was the size of my hand, made of stone and had craving. I couldn't tell what it was suppose to be but Rukia took it out, believing it was what she was looking for.

"From the center, the gap, was where the light came from. The blue light became brighter, overwhelmed over us and the room; then, water poured out from the hole out of nowhere. We shut down," Rangiku grumbled, "something knocked us out. We woke up again in the forest we took to arrive at the lighthouse. Rukia ran back to the lighthouse and it was gone. Burned down.

"Hollows then appeared, waiting for us I suppose. I took one down, she another. The last one was a bitch though, it took Rukia's wand away, threw me to the side where I slammed my back against a bark." Rangiku, too involved in her tale, did not noticed the fuming werewolf who was breathing hard and eyes lit in molten gold. "Rukia, she was so tired, I didn't notice until that moment, where I was on the ground, trying to keep myself awake.

"Rukia fought back, thrown onto the ground, grabbed and dragged to be thrown onto the ground again." Rangiku bit back her tears, "And I just laid there and watched, watched as she used whatever little strength she had to create a shield over my body. I never knew how small Rukia was until that very moment." Rangiku stopped and clenched the sheets of her bed, muffled a bubbling cry.

Ichigo stood near the window, looking out over the city. Guilt ran over him, fear and concern for his mate. His heart ached, his knees wanted to give out and rage built inside his limbs and blood. The pale moon in the sky, how he wanted to howl at it. Ask if it could bring his mate back to him. However, every time Ichigo looked at the moon, all he saw was Rukia. Picturing her residing in heaven, she watching over them, him.

"Rangiku-san, please, go on." Ishida gently urged her, "We need to know."

"The hollow's feet…large and bulky were right in front of Rukia's fallen body. She couldn't stand up; her face was drained of color and her damn eyes still spoke to me, telling me everything was going to be alright. But I saw it, the light was leaving her eyes, her fucking pupils dilating. She was dying and she didn't even look scared!

"Then…then that hollow laughed, laughed loudly and it was so disgusting!" Rangiku threw her plastic cup of water to the side, "He got the biggest boulder he had and held it above Rukia's body, and can you imagine how that fucking boulder compared to Rukia's little body?" Breathing hard, not meeting anyone in the eye, she stared at her fingers again. "A miracle happened, a pale yellow light stretched across the field and froze time…and that was it. That's all I can remember."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 14_

"_Nee-san_," Kon tugged on Rukia's pants, "_It's snowing! We need shelter!_" Snow fell on them, some caught between Rukia's long lashes. Her fingers, nimble and numbed, gripped her book, her cheeks flush red from the cold and her eyes a misty blue with hues of amethyst. Rukia didn't budge; she stared straight ahead and was humming a tune Kon recognized, "_Nee-san…._"

"Hm?" Kon saw that she was in her reoccurring daze; she had been in and out of this perplexed stage ever since Renji spoke about a wolf finding a mate.

"_It's snowing, we have to get out of it before you get sick, Nee-san._" He said again, "_Nee-san_?"

"Yes. Yes, you are right." Rukia huffed as she picked up Kon, "Come on, now." His body heavy and bulky, but warm and his fur soft, "We are almost there."

"_Where are we going, Nee-san?_" Sighing happily, the lion cub curled its arm around Rukia's neck, enjoying how close they were and cuddled himself into her chest.

"To where it all began," Rukia walked down a countryside path. They weren't on the island anymore. They were in the mainland, now, near Rukia's mother's old home. Snow crunched under Rukia's feet and she felt as if she was a ghost, moving but not really moving, gliding over the ground airlessly.

She tried not to think about Japan, her father or friends–except she did worry how Rangiku was–and she, especially, tried not to think about Ichigo. Her heart would tremble under the thick layers of ice she had been trying to enclose over it, and she would go into a fit of coughs whenever she did.

He has a mate and it wasn't her.

That thought, that fact, it made her want to stop. Stop breathing, thinking, and living so she could sob until she had nothing but blood to spill out of her eyes. She wished she could freeze time at that moment with her powers and sob without having someone pity or try to comfort her. Never had she felt this strong about someone, she didn't know how to react to this type of situation.

Her heart hurt, crunched and squeezed that Rukia always had to keep her tears from falling. She admitted to herself, no one else but herself, that she had fallen for Kurosaki Ichigo. Even if she didn't want to be in love, even if the thought was distasteful and was the last possible thing she wanted to do, she couldn't help it. There was a force inside of her, in the world, that connected her life with Ichigo's.

Even now that she found out he has a mate, she still wants to love him even if she knew she has to stop one day. She wasn't going to be the one he was going to turn to, she wasn't going to be the one he was going to laugh with, the one he was going to kiss and hold close to his heart. That was his mate and somehow, she had to live with it.

She had no one to blame but herself, "How far have I fallen?"

"_Did you fall, Nee-san?_" Kon's voice piped up and Rukia smiled at her pet.

"No," She lied, "I was simply trying to remember a poem I once read a few years ago."

"_Oh, okay. You'll remember, Nee-san, you're good at remembering things._" The cub soon fell asleep in Rukia's arm, and she didn't have the heart to tell the cub her arms were sore from carrying him. But it was okay, she was close to five minutes away from the inn she was heading to.

"Hello?" She called out in Spanish; the lobby, small and cozy, was bare from life. There wasn't any worker in sight and called out again. Sighing, she went behind the counter and grabbed a random key and left a note before she went to her room. Kon, awake and on the ground, followed close behind her. Sniffing the air and frowning whenever he smelt something disgusting to only say, "_Ah, Nee-san, you always smell nicer than anything and anyone._"

"Here's our new room for tonight, Kon." Rukia opened the door and stepped into the small room. There was a full bed, a couch, a dresser, and another door that led to the bathroom. It was a warm and quaint room with its cottage themed appearance.

She dropped her belongings on the couch and went straight to the window. Admiring the snow covered town, the loveliness and the peacefulness of it. How many years had she been visiting this place just for this purpose?

Today was her mother's death, the anniversary of her murder. It happened in this little town with its good people and happy citizens. Here was where it all started, all of Rukia's misfortunes and it was here where Rukia wanted to get her answer.

"_Nee-san,_" Kon called out from behind her, "_I have something for you!_" The cub ran forward and had a white rose in its mouth. Rukia bent down and Kon gave her the rose, his tail happily waved back and forth as he happily told her, "_Happy Birthday, Nee-san!_"

~o~o~o~o~o~

Dusk was looming over the street as Rukia walked away from the inn. She left Kon sleeping alone on the bed and passed by the owners of the inn. She paid for the night and apologized for grabbing a room without waiting for them. They were kind old folks whom she knew; they smiled at Rukia and told her that it was alright.

The snow in the town wasn't strong, not as cold as it was in Karakura. She bought clothing for herself the other day, a new winter coat, a handful of shirts and three pairs of pants. Tugging at the hem of her shirt and pulling her pants up, scowling at how uncomfortable she felt wearing pants. "_I should have bought myself some dresses instead._"

Rukia shied away from the current buildings she was passing by, getting closer to where the incident happened. Her fingers twiddled together and she glanced everywhere but to her right.

She soon came to a stop and swayed back and forth, her back faced the building behind her. With a deep breath, she turned around and came face to face to her mother's crypt.

After the crime, Rukia remembered Byakuya had the building destroyed and built a new one in its place. The building was made of glass, everything was made of glass. It was a beautiful building, a beautiful tomb for her mother. Walking forward, Rukia used a spell to lift the magical seal off the building. She skillfully walked through the glass and felt the warmth of inside the building washing over her.

Unlike the opposite side of the glass, inside the building was a secret oasis, spring was always in bloom here. If Rukia closed her eyes, she would swear she could feel the sun on her skin. Walking down the brick path and up to a patch of violets, Rukia reached and touch the grave marker.

_In Loving Memory_

_Hisana Kuchiki_

_Wife and Mother_

Plain, simple, and straight to the point, it was clear it was Byakuya who approved of this grave mark. "How boring," She whispered. While her mother was a sickly and weak person, she was full of light. A smile from her mother could silence a whole room and set a peaceful mood in the air.

This wasn't her first visit, but it was the first time she came here for a purpose more than to ask for forgiveness and feel guilty for what happened many years ago. "I am sorry…you know I am." Rukia slowly sank to the ground, "I did not mean to shoot. I swear I did not mean to shoot you, Mama." Rukia felt tears rimming her lower eyelids, feeling like an eight year-old again, calling her mother by "mama" once more.

"Every time I come here, I never say anything because all I do is cry and beg that you forgive me for the sin I had committed." Her arms started to tremble, flashes of the day came back to her.

"_Kill me if you want, but don't you dare even hurt her!" her mother's voice rang out in rage; behind the tears that fell from her eyes were molten layers of wrath that she had never seen in her mother's eyes before. "If you do, I swear I'll come back from my grave and kill you!"_

"Stop speaking," Rukia gripped her head and curved so her forehead touched her lap. Tears slipped down her cheeks, one at a time before they progressed and became stronger. Sobs began to rock her body and she hiccupped multiple times. "I do not want to hear it, I already know that pain."

_The man must have said something else because her mother's eyes widen, "Look at me, __mi hija__." Her mother then called out. "Look at me, do not be afraid. I am here to protect you."_

"No," Rukia glared at the tomb, "Why are you lying?"

_As she said that, her mother's eyes watered again, and there was a smile on her face. In the midst of her tears she said, "Do you see that trigger? I want you to pull it."_

"Why? Was there not a better way to solve this?" Rukia murmured, breathing hard as she shut her eyes, wanting to stop her tears, "What kind of person would ask _that_ from a mere child?"

"_Pull the trigger! You have to!" Her mother screamed. "If you don't pull the trigger, I'll hate you forever, Rukia!"_

"Why did you have to say _that_?" Rukia bit her lips and held back an anguished scream. "I relived that moment many times, but I need to know more. I need to know what is going to happen to me. What happened after that, Ma?" Rukia drunkenly pushed herself up and stumbled as she stood. Not knowing what to do but ask, "What happened to me after your death?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Mama?" Rukia who was covered in her mother's blood and other possible body parts, went up to her mother's corpse. Shaking the woman softly, "Mama, please wake up. I'm scared, Mama. I want to go." Tears ran down Rukia's chubby cheeks as she hiccupped, "Mama?"

"It's okay," The man from behind her placed his hand on her head, "Your mother's dead. You killed her, good job little one."

"I killed…" Rukia looked up, her hands still on her mother's side, "I killed my mama?"

"You sure did, you surprised me." The man was a black shadow that Rukia wanted to see. He was tall from where she was, but then again, everyone was taller than her. His voice was calm, unnerving and confident. "But it's good that you killed your mother, little one. I need you to be in distress."

Rukia couldn't breathe anymore, her lungs hurt and her chest kept moving frantically. Everything was fuzzy and she felt as if she was numb and yet feeling her body was being compressed.

"Good, come one. You killed your mother, you are never going to see her again, your father is going to hate you, and no one is going to love you, murderer." The man kept talking as Rukia's tears bubbled over and she kept gasping for air, "I'll amuse you, I bet you want to know why I did this to you, right?"

The man's hand moved from patting Rukia's head to her chest, his hand was right above her eccentrically beating heart. "In this state, I can finally start my plan. Do you feel it, little one? The change that is happening inside of you?" The man plunged his hand into her chest, grasping something and gripping it until blood came out of her mouth. "Do you feel it, little one! This is where my destiny lies, within your heart! Within the Hōgyoku!"

"_Mama, it hurts,_" Rukia thought, "_I can't breathe, Mama!_" Silent sobs rocked Rukia's little eight year-old body. She felt weak, she felt light, and she felt her heart–the one he wasn't grabbing–wanting to burst in agony. "_Mama…what have I done?_"

A white light blinded the man and had him moving back quickly. He watched as the light from Rukia's chest grew large and pulse in energy, and his smile couldn't get any larger as he watched the confused and distressed child gain a new life. The pained screams she made brought joy inside of him and as much as he would like to continue watching, he turned his back to her, "We will soon meet again, little one." He laughed as he left. The other man at the door never once glanced inside but gripped his hands into fists and followed the smiling man.

Leaving Rukia on the floor, gasping and sobbing and bleeding next to her fading mother's corpse. Rukia moved her head to the side, facing her mother's body, her little arm reaching out and hands grasped her mother's hand. "Mama, please come back. I promise to go to…bed on time, and eat all of my carrots, and…and not beg for sweets anymore," Rukia coughed and squeezed her mother's hand, hoping that she would wake up and rub Rukia's back, "and I will be a good girl, Mama. Come back to me, Mama. I want you," Rukia whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut, "I want my mama."

"Hisana!" Rukia went silence as she heard fast approaching footsteps and more tears escaped her, "Rukia! Where are you!"

"Papa," Rukia whispered, "please help Mama." Rukia looked at where the man left and tried to speak louder, her throat felt raw and starchy, "Papa, please." Taking as much air as her lungs could allow she cried out for her father, her papa.

She was thrown in a fit of harsh coughs and cried at the pain. The door was slammed open, streams of light appeared and before she knew it, Rukia was in her father's arm, "Rukia, dear god." He spoke into her hair, holding her tight but loosely enough in his arms. He was about to say something, he was facing her, looking at her face when he saw the love of his life on the ground. Not moving, unresponsive with hollow eyes. "Hisana," He choked out, "Hisana?"

With his long arm, he reached out and touched his wife, felt the diminishing warmth of her skin and let out a cry. Byakuya arms wrapped tighter around Rukia's small body, and Rukia sobs with her father. Knowing that her request for her mother coming back to life was a foolish hope, and Rukia couldn't help but hear the echo of that man's voice in her head: "_You killed your mother, you are never going to see her again, your father is going to hate you, and no one is going to love you, murderer_."

After that, she passed out and woke up in a hospital.

Her father was quiet, everyone was quiet. After some hours, they finally asked Rukia what happened. She explained as best as she could, how she got there, the men, her mother's noble sacrifice, and the pain she felt when the man plunged his hand into her chest. She never once met her father's eyes, fearing what she might see in them, not wanting to see the pain in his eyes.

She killed her mother, she did something wrong, and she wanted to take it back.

"I have done something wrong, papa…I am sorry." She cried, "I am sorry."

Byakuya lifted his hand and brought Rukia's head close to his; he gave her forehead a kiss and left the room. Rukia didn't know that would be the last time her father was going to show affection to her.

She stared out the window, eyes red and puffy, and her throat sore. Needles were attached into her skin. That day she started to read the minds of others, gain illness with for no apparent reason but at the same time felt so much more powerful, and lost her tender relationship with her father. As a little girl, staring out the window, Rukia asked, "What happened to me?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 11_

"Dead?" Ichigo stalked forward and grabbed Urahara by the collar, "Dead? You're fucking telling me Rukia, my mate, is fucking dead!"

"Her soul is dead and she's meant to be dead." Urahara was breathing evenly, unnerved at Ichigo's display of strength and defensiveness for Rukia. "Yet she lives."

Staring into Urahara's eyes, Ichigo tried to catch a glimpse of mirth or teasing, "You're not lying," Ichigo finally said after he felt the calm beats of Urahara's heart, an indicator that he wasn't being dishonest to him. Dropping the shopkeeper, Ichigo backed up a few steps, feeling his heart pounding. Scared and unsure, "She…how did she–why?"

Urahara dusted himself off, sighing as she observed Ichigo beneath his dirty blonde hair, "That's a question to ask to her, I don't know why she did it, but she did."

Ichigo grasped the plastic baggy and handed it to Urahara, "Then, this ball-thing, what is it?"

Urahara stayed silent, thinking carefully on how to answer the short-tempered _beta_, "It's what keeping Kuchiki-san alive, it's her life source."

"Does she know?" The thought of Rukia throwing away her life for him, having the possibility that if she didn't know she had that orb inside of her, she could have died. "How much does she know?"

"That's difficult to answer…she may know partly, but I don't think she knows why she can live."

"What is it?" Ichigo asked, "You know what it is and I want to know why it's inside of her!"

"It's something that needs to be discussed once Rukia returns," Appearing from a door was an indecently clad woman with long purple hair pulled into a ponytail and gold eyes. She raised a brow and stepped forward, "so calm down, Ichi-chan."

"I won't!" The _beta _looked annoyed and growled out, "Something is inside _my _mate, she's the one who's 'dead,' and I'll be damned if you two don't tell me what is going on with her!" Breathing hard and having red invading his vision, he spoke loudly and strongly, "How can I protect her when I don't know what I'm protecting her from!"

"It's difficult to discuss, especially here in the open!" Yoruichi yelled back, her patience for this boy could never last long. She still remembered all those summers when she was training him to transform into a proper werewolf and wolf. "You have to understand that this, everything that is happening, is much larger than you, and Rukia being your mate!"

* * *

**A/N: Tada, it's the end of the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it and I'm sorry for the wait. I'll release early next month to make up for last month.**

**So, please review and see you next month. **


	17. Chapter 16

**A/n: Well, here is Chapter 16…and well; Ichigo and Rukia are getting closer to their reunion. How close…well, some three or four chapters. :D**

**Besides that, I want to thank everyone for congratulating me on my engagement. It means a lot, so thank you all. **

**I looked over my outline on this fic and shed many things I thought were not needed, so I think I'll keep this as one fic over all. **

**I want to thank **_**Mikie-From-Ireland**_** and **_**ftb-churro**_** for being wonderful beta-ers. **

**Well, enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter 16**_

_**Past**_

The past is like a foreign country, they do everything differently than we are use to and there are moments where we _have_ to visit.

As much as we hate to bring up the past, as much as we hate even thinking about it, it is there, and it is reminding us of the good and the bad we once did.

For a man cannot free himself from his past as easily as he can from his own body.

I never like thinking about the past, too much hardship, too many regrets, and too many chances that I failed to take. There are times where I forge sleep so I can imagine. Imagine if I did things differently, if I take the step to the left instead of the right. If I actually listen to my father…would everything have been different?

I am still amazed by how everything fell apart so easily.

But as my old mentor once said, "What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened: It has brought you here at this very moment. Right now, this is the moment; you can choose to make everything new."

Then, seeing you there, looking at me that way. I wonder what would have happened if I never met you, if our eyes never crossed path. Those moments, when I catch your eyes and I see the way they soften, your lips turn into a smile, your hand open and ready to be filled with mine.

I have a small spark light up my heart, and for a small second, I am grateful my path led me to you.

Even if that spark only lasts for a moment and that moment will disappear, I am glad I have the opportunity to know you.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 18_

Standing before a waterfall Yoruichi could only imagine how cold the water was. Currently in France and after three days of searching, she finally found her. Then again, Rukia's looks were uncommon so she got recognized very easily; making it easier for Yoruichi to find the damn nymph.

Tapping her foot against the ground, she frowned and looked at her watch again. "I swear I'm going to kill her!" She growled as she waited some more.

Oh, how she wished she could be at home with her husband and children, napping in her couch and drinking warm milk. Yoruichi purred at the idea and scowled when she remembered that instead of being home with her family, she was here, in France, at a remote forest in front of a freezing waterfall waiting for her pupil to surface from the lake.

Birds tweeted and a single stream of sun light fell on top of the lake. It was in that stream of light that Rukia ascended from the water, slowly breaking the surface and standing up. As she stood, she was facing Yoruichi with most of her form made of water. Her body was there: arms, chest, face, hair but they were transparent. Yoruichi could see Rukia's eyelashes and the soft movement of her mouth.

Leisurely, Rukia's dripping hair became black, skin went back to its original creamy pale, eyes were an inky blue and lashes were damp and full. Bit by bit she gained the colors of her human self back from her knees up. Rukia stood in the water and Yoruichi wasn't sure if she was simply standing on something or made a platform for herself.

Moments passed between them before Rukia turned around, long black hair plastered against the tender panels of her back, clinging and wet as beads of smooth water rolled down her body. She quietly stood there, lifting her arms up and swept her hair back, wringing the water from her locks.

While Yoruichi had a nice body, sexy and curvy, there was something about Rukia's figure that was eye catching, drawing the eyes–of both men and women–alike to her like a moth to a flame of light.

Yoruichi didn't know if it was the petit figure of hers, the shapely curve of her hips and ass, those legs, or the effortless fact that there was something about Rukia's appearance overall that was striking. "If I was a man, I swear I would jump you, Rukia." Yoruichi called over the hum of the waterfall.

"Then, I am lucky that you are not a man, Miss Yoruichi." Rukia paid no heed to being naked in front of the were-jaguar, she was used to it.

"You're luckier that I'm not Ichigo." Yoruichi smirked at how Rukia's shoulders tensed. She waited for a witty respond from Rukia and was surprised when none came. Instead of teasing the nymph furthermore she said, "It's time to go home." Her arms crossed and face unmoved as she waited for the young nymph.

"I do not wish to go to D.C. yet." Rukia answered as she arched her back, obtaining feeling back into her spine. It was always tiring to transform into a water nymph and then back. She stopped and took that thought back, she decided that she was more glad that she wasn't in the ocean where she had to gain a tail, now _that _was painful.

"I never said D.C., Rukia." Yoruichi's eyes aloof, "I was talking about Karakura."

"That is not my home." Sinking her hands into the water once more, saying goodbye to the clean fluid, Rukia turned and began to walk back to shore. Stepping above the water as if it were stairs, she walked effortlessly across the lake to Yoruichi.

The were-jaguar watched as Rukia grabbed her clothing and began to put them on again, then noticing a series of marking on Rukia's body, tattoos in a sort but they were imprinted on her body with only white ink–hard to detect when Rukia's skin was almost as pale as the ink.

There were two small detailed flowers: a rose and an orchid mixed in one (Rukia's favorite flowers and scent). Strokes of leaves and delicate swipes of paint enclosing the precious flowers in a beautiful arrange of art. There was one on the center of her back, another where her heart lays, and one on each of her inner wrists and on top of her ankles. The one on her ankles and inner wrists, Yoruichi noticed, had more strokes of ink than the one on her heart while the tattoo on her back was larger than the rest.

Looking back up at Rukia's face, she made no comment about her discovery and continued to talk, "No, but it's the place where you belong…and aren't you cold?"

"Then, you should have said that instead of claiming Karakura is my home and no, I am not cold, Miss Yoruichi." Rukia tied her hair back, away from her face. True, she wasn't cold but that was because she stopped feeling after visiting her mother's grave. At most, she could say her whole body was a numbed bulk of breathing flesh.

"You look enlighten, more so than you normally are. It's as if you discovered something, just like the day I met you."

"No," Rukia had a tranquil look on her face, wordless but intense in a sort of way, "I simply remembered something I long ago forgotten."

To say she "remembered something" was a kinder way of saying she regained her memories back. After all, both times when Rukia faced a desperate situation that made the holy God channel her spirit, it was Yoruichi who erased Rukia's memories, to calm the destined girl and to put her in a slumber of ignorance.

Ignorance that only a few days ago was removed from her mind and everything felt worn and tired as she had to relive the agonizing past events that were once blocked.

"You remember everything then?"

"No, I already knew everything," Rukia said quickly, "I just never knew why." Rukia finally got her shoes and was readying herself to leave, "All my training as a witch and my promotion to be a Priestess of Water was simply a cover up."

There was an invisible hit to her gut when she said that. It left her breathless and the blood in her veins increased in an unruly speed. Rukia stepped around and faced her teacher. Never had she felt as angry as she did now. Betrayal and hurt were deep in her blood but she didn't dare show those emotions on her face, she stayed expressionless, wanted to stay expressionless, needed to be the ice princess she was raised to be. "My destiny has already been written in blood. Everything I learned, the discussions we shared, the duty I was to take over are already mine. Now, all I need to do is claim my role as the Priestess of the Hōgyoku."

She placed her hand on a tree, the bark was cold and its branches bare and draped with snow. "Which is why I am not ready to leave, yet," Slowly, her hand was absorbed into the tree and once it was, Rukia swiftly walked into it. She heard her teacher yell out but she ignored it. Her eyes closed and her body became threads of nature, slipping off her soul and making her feel wispy and light. She became one with the tree, with the forest, and used its communication pathways to escape Yoruichi.

"Rukia!" Yoruichi tried to follow Rukia, catching her scent in the air for a short second to only have it disappear again. "Rukia," She waited in thin silence, "…fuck."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 14_

"Do you know why I called you here?" Yoruichi watched the _alpha _and the _beta _with careful eyes. Around mid-afternoon she called them to meet her and they weren't alone. Ishida and Renji stood to the side, Rangiku and Momo sat around the table, Urahara was behind his wife, and Ukitake, Kenpachi and Shunsui all stood alongside the werewolves.

"If we know why we wouldn't have come," Kenpachi growled, annoyed to be pulled away from his training for this.

"Temper, temper," Ukitake chimed in, a small smile on his face, "It must be an important matter since we are the only ones being called by her, _bon_?"

"Damn right," Yoruichi went straight to the point, not wanting to waste anymore time, "Does anyone know what today is?"

A gasp was heard beside Ichigo and Isshin popped up with a grin on his face, "It's Rukia-chan's birthday!"

The bronze goddess quickly talked over Ichigo's surprise bark and continued, "Correct, and by knowing that today is her birthday, I can go get her. I'm leaving in an hour to find and bring her back."

"I'm going with you!" Ichigo stood, eyes in slits.

"No, you're not, Ichigo!"

"Why not?" The _beta _growled, deep and menacing towards the woman. How could she not let him go with her? Didn't she know how much he cared for Rukia, how he wanted to protect his mate? They've been separated for two weeks, and every day that Rukia wasn't by his side, Ichigo grew more annoyed and temperamental, lashing at anyone who upset him. But above all of that he was being consumed with worry. Every night he would dream of Rukia's death, every night it became harder for him to sleep. "She's my mate!"

"I never said she wasn't!" Yoruichi yelled back, not backing down from the clearly larger and threatening werewolf. Isshin laid a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and shook his head. "The forces of our enemies are growing too strong to have Rukia be by herself. I want to bring her back and have all of you make sure when I do, there aren't going to be any attacks. In the fit of our reunion with her, she will be an easy target. Rukia's safety is our top objective; nothing should compromise it." She stared pointedly at Ichigo, "Nothing."

"Then wouldn't it be better for the mutt to go with you?" Kenpachi asked, "If her safety is so important, as you're saying, you're going to need more man power."

"If she does that," Urahara finally voiced, "It would be more suspicious, especially since Ichigo-kun is her mate. And suspicious is what we want less when transporting Kuchiki-san. Any one of you can cause suspicion."

"So, what's the plan?" Shunsui asked, drinking some tea with a smile on his face. His wavy brown hair pulled back and his hat covering his eyes.

"I'm going to find her and talk some damn sense into her. She had enough time with whatever she has been looking for. Once I find her, I'll call and inform Kisuke of our arrival time." Yoruichi looked to Urahara and nodded her head to him.

The shop salesman smiled at his wife and stepped forward, "During this time, we need to have a watchful eye on everyone and anyone; Others and humans alike. We can't take our chances. Once informed of Yoruichi's return, I'm going to inform all of you and our plan will take effect. We are going to guard Kuchiki-san; from the moment she's in Karakura air to the moment she's going to be accommodated into a secret housing."

"Everyone understands this, right? We cannot fail." The were-jaguar waited for everyone to nod before she gave a hefty nod herself.

"Where is she?" The roughed mumble of the _beta_'s voice reached the cat's ears.

The older woman debated with herself, wondering if she should or should not inform Ichigo of Rukia's personal ordeal. Sighing, she decided to give a slight clue, "She's visiting her mother. After all, besides it being Rukia's birthday, it's also the anniversary of her mother's death."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 19_

Isshin had Ichigo and Ishida standing by his side as they inspected the _Supra Natura, _which was close to being finished with its rebuilding. Almost a month and the progress was good, more so than the _alpha _and _beta _expected it to be. Walls were now being painted, and over night, once the paint is dry, new carpets were going to be installed and soon after, new furniture.

Security was tighter than ever, especially with the Others' region. Ichigo had werewolves stationed in as security. He wanted nothing to go unprotected. Werewolves were at every entrance and exits of the hotel, they were the most trained and experienced at deciphering smells and telling Others apart–particularly the ones who were dead and didn't have a scent.

Business wasn't as good as they hoped, however it was expected since the hotel did suffer a big blow. After monitoring the processes of the rebuilding of the last few floors, and commenting on how they could improve business, security, or communication Isshin left Ichigo and Ishida alone for an instant when he got a phone call. When he came back, he had a grim expression on his face and even had a hard time looking at Ichigo.

Ichigo, knowing that look demanded that his father tell him what happened and it didn't take a lot of persuasion on Ichigo's part. "I've just got a call from Urahara, Ichigo."

"What did he say? Did Yoruichi find her?"

Isshin shook his head and patted Ichigo's shoulder as he led them away from the construction, "Yes, but Rukia-chan got away, Yoruichi doesn't know where she went."

"So, it's another dead end?" Ishida asked.

"You could say that." Isshin gave a growl, from what Urahara said, Rukia knew everything. All the choices they had not given her, the choices they made for her was now blowing up in their faces.

"How was she?" Ichigo was looking off to the side, "Was she well?"

Isshin saw his son tightening his fist and gave a reassuring smile, "Yeah, Urahara said Yoruichi mentioned that Rukia was well. Looking fine and healthy, a little skinner than the last time she last saw her, but besides that, her wounds were healed and she had no scars on her body."

Ichigo exasperatingly ran a hand through his hair, wishing he was there and had her in his arms. If only he could find her, if he was allowed to find her, if she didn't ask him to wait.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 30_

Drifting from city to city, country to country, Rukia was like the wind, flowing and never resting. She went from village to towns before she landed in a large city to only start her travelling cycle once again. She would walk until she was tired, sometimes she would hitchhike–she risked it even after hearing all the gruesome stories Rangiku once told her–take a bus when needed, and it was only at night she flew. She didn't want to risk anyone seeing her during the day.

Along the way she met wizards and witches alike. Others who were kind enough to take her out to lunch even after she refused throughout the whole ordeal. She never stayed in an area for more than two days mainly since she had Yoruichi on her trail. However, in a city in England called Brighton, Rukia met the most particular man and he became the most memorable person she met on her voyage.

He was an alchemist that goes by the name of Hirako Shinji, straight blond hair that stopped under his chin, brown eyes, very tall and lanky, and he had a tongue piercing–something she never saw before. She travelled with him and his group for three days, and during those three days he taught tricks and tips when it came to alchemy. Three tricks that he taught her were very useful in her book. She learned how to change dirt into gold, stones into gems, and average cloth into expensive silk.

Her father would disapprove, he always said alchemy was filthy and greedy and if she could see him now she would tell him it was not dirty at all. Only different from what they learned and very helpful. She didn't want to access her bank account since it would give her position away and the tricks she learned helped her accessibly.

Rukia was in London, now; it was dusk and she had Kon in her dark purple sack, his head and paws popping out as he posed as a stuff animal until they were alone and he moved as much as he wanted.

"_Nee-san! Let's go on that!_" She looked back at him and saw him pointing into the sky. She followed his paw and saw what he was aiming at. With a quick smile she agreed and set forth to London Eye.

They waited in line and before it became completely dark they were in London Eye, sitting in a capsule by themselves and watched as the city lights came to life. The large ferries wheel moved slowly, they were on top of the wheel and she knew it would take at least fifteen minutes before they would reach the ground.

Kon was on the floor playing with his ball happily as Rukia admired London. Of course she could fly over London, but being in such a large city that had many Others, she was sure if she flew she was bound to run into one of her father's associates.

Then, if she did, her trip would come to an end.

Looking over the city, her eyes curved lightly at the glittering lights, it was her dream to be as she was now. To not worry about the political life her father had, to be the perfect lady and bachelorette for future business heirs. She wanted to be free from her constricting life, and now that she was, she knew it was only a taste.

As long as the burden of the Hōgyoku hung over her head, she will never be free. Just like her nanny said many years ago, Rukia was not even a bird in a cage but a butterfly. She never sang her woes to others, flapped her wings, or clawed at the cage's bars to escape.

No, instead, like a butterfly, Rukia sat at the base of her cage, fluttering and hoping one day she would see life beyond the bars of her imprisonment.

Alone in this large capsule made for twenty-five, Rukia knew this might be the only freedom she will ever have. On top of the city with no one other than Kon, she wasn't Kuchiki Rukia, but just Rukia.

Though thoughts of her father and her responsibility still made its way into her, invading her mind from time to time, not too frequent as she thought it would have. She wondered what her father would do tomorrow, or today, for his birthday. It must be the thirty-first in Japan by now. Since her mother's death, she never celebrated her father's birthday once. He never liked cake or gifts, so every morning when she had breakfast with him, she wished him a happy birthday and that would be all.

She gave a deep sigh and looked outside. It was close to night now, there was just a tinge of purple in the sky and the whole city gleamed under the crescent moon. "How beautiful."

Then, in a whisper near her ear, she heard him speaking to her. "But it's not as beautiful as you, Rukia."

With a light gasp, Rukia gradually turned around. Her heart thundering and cracking when she saw he wasn't there, that she was in the large empty space of her capsule alone–excluding Kon who was gnawing on the yarn ball.

Pushing her hair behind her ear, she looked out to the city again. She felt like a fool at her naive hope that she didn't imagine his voice. That he was really there with her, close to her and sometimes she could feel his touch on her, even if she knew it wasn't there.

"_Nee-san,_" Kon called out, when he got no answer he scampered his way to her and stood on his hind legs, his paws landing on her knee. "_Nee-san, your wrists, they're glowing!_"

She blinked at the cub, "What?" She brought her hands up; slipped off the gloves she was wearing and saw that he was right. Her wrists, the tattoos she acquired after she visited her mother's grave, glowed brightly.

Where they came from, Rukia did not know but she did know they were symbols for her new role as the priestess. She fainted after she remembered the events following the death of her mother. When she woke up Rukia saw her gloves were nowhere to be found, her shoes disappeared, coat and shirt thrown to the side. It burned, that what she felt when she woke up, the locations of her tattoo burned as if dry ice were laying there.

They would glow whenever she used spells that were powerful, especially the ones she learned to become the Priestess of Hōgyoku. But they never shined alone like they were doing now, the flowers wisp with light and the light travelled into the leaves and swept lines and dots, becoming extremely intense.

Kon called out to her again, but she ignored him, seeing that something in her sac was also radiating with light. Rukia reached in and looked through the piles of books and food she had and the bag of gold she made from dirt to find where the light was coming from. Taking it out of her bag, she saw it was the talisman she had gotten from the ground all those days ago.

It was a hexagon shaped stone, thick and aged; Rukia ran her finger over the outline of its design, an urn. At first when she examined it after she got Rangiku back to the inn, she thought it was a vase but after much examination, she concluded it was an urn. Round and stoop, a slash of vines lay across of it and a bundle of cloth hanged off its side while more cloth rested at its base.

Running her thumb over it, her vision began to blur and the light from the talisman consumed her and the capsule.

Then, in the midst of the light overcoming her, she heard a howl.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 26_

Before he met Rukia, patrol was always simple and uneventful for Ichigo. Walk around, catch some Others doing something they should not be doing, beat their ass, get a cup of coffee or a bite of food, and go home.

Now here he was standing head on against two espadas, bleeding through his shirt where the bullet landed. The smell of his enemies' blood reeked on his clothing, smelling awful and disgusting. God, he wanted to vomit.

He looked to his side and saw Chad lying there unconscious along with Inoue–why she insisted on following them he did not know why. His gun weighted nothing in his hands, "What do you want!" He growled.

The two men in front of Ichigo, he only knew Ulquiorra, the other one was new and named Yammy. They said nothing, simply exchanged looks and Ulquiorra gave a small nod and told his partner, "Don't kill him."

Ichigo scowled and immediately reloaded his gun. He aimed it and was ready for Yammy's charge and when he sent the magazine in his gun off, the bursts of gun powder entered the air smoothly. Three bullets skimmed the giant and two entered, the rest missed its target.

Yammy was quick for a man of his size and went for a punch, luckily Ichigo blocked it and avoided the next throw, however the position he got himself in left his side wide open and Yammy took the exposed area to launched a kick. The strike caught him off guard and threw Ichigo far back, slamming the _beta _against a lamppost and throwing his gun far to the right.

Ichigo only had time to take a glimpse up when he took a blow to the face and an undercut to the chin. He heard bone crack and slick blood slipping from a new wound. Lying on the ground, Ichigo hastily got back on his feet. Wolf's instinct taking over, Ichigo stride to the left to evade another one of Yammy's punches. During his dodge, Ichigo sent his knee straight into Yammy's gut before pulling back slightly and slammed his foot against the Espadas'chin.

The force of his kick reeled the Espada back and Ichigo took a dive to his gun. Reloading it once again and took aim. He sent a bullet straight into Yammy's knee and the Espada howled, "You fucker! I'll slaughter you!" Ichigo sent four more shots to the giant's knee causing Yammy to fall. "I'll rip you apart and fucking eat you alive!"

What Ichigo wasn't expecting was Yammy to thrust his hands into the earth, whatever he was doing he seemed to look confident in. With a cynical grin, Yammy gripped and lifted a solid piece of earth from its place and launch it towards Ichigo. The speed was quick, more so than Ichigo thought it would be.

He dodged but his shoulder was hit, Ichigo heard the definite crack it made and the intense pain that followed. The whole right arm pulsed with heated agony, especially when he tried to move.

He was panting heavily, glancing at both the kneeling giant and the fourth espada. He could transform, but he knew that Ulquiorra was also a type of were or vampire and Ichigo was not fit to fight another Other. Then, there was Chad and Inoue that he had to worry about, he couldn't leave them behind, they might get taken or worse: killed.

While he was impulsive he wasn't stupid.

"Let's finish you off," Yammy laughed and got back up, the wound on his knee must have not bothered him since he wasn't showing any signs of hurt. The fourth Espada didn't say anything, just stood there watching and waiting to intervene.

Yammy coiled his arm back, hands in a tight, powerful fist and launched it directly to Ichigo's face.

A flash of pink lightning then a blast of yellow flung Yammy away from Ichigo, "What the fuck?"

"Watch your language, mutt." Byakuya had his wand out. The tip glowing pink unlike Rukia's that glowed white. The proud wizard was walking down the street with a smirking Kenpachi at his side.

"Having a hard time, Kurosaki?" Kenpachi asked with a crazed look in his eyes as he brought up his katana. "I'll show you later how to change your gun to a sword," Kenpachi cracked his neck, "after I kill this bastard."

"You think you can defeat me!" Yammy boasted out, "I'm the zero Espada! You can't possibly kill me!"

Byakuya may be old but he was still fit enough to wield a weapon beside his wand. So, the flick of his wrist the wand he held shined and molded into a katana as well.

Ulquiorra turned away from the scene of the fight and walked away. His mission of getting Yammy killed was almost done, as requested by the head; the two high councilors were strong enough to take the giant down.

"Watch, kid, and see the power the high council possess," Kenpachi barked out a laugh and clenched his katana tighter and sent another wave of energy.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 38_

Lying on the ground, her hips on the side but her chest facing the sky, the sun bathed her in warmth. Rukia had her eyes closed, her breathing was calm and relaxed and she felt at peace, the first time in weeks. The wind was kind, blowing steadily and harmoniously.

She felt it in the earth, the songs, the rhythms, the melodies, the beats and tunes it was creating. The sound was beautiful, being carried into the air like pollen, yet it was sad.

Kon was napping next to her, talking and mumbling in its sleep. What he was saying she did not know, and what he was dreaming must be good with the happy sounds he was making.

Rukia opened her eyes and glazed into the blue sky, squinting slightly at the shine of the sun. She turned and sat up, stretched and gave a yawn. She vaguely tried to remember where she was. She traveled to many places that there had been moments where she had forgotten where she currently was.

There was a rush of wind and she caught the familiar scent of copper earth and spices, she now remembered, she was in a hidden dimension in Texcoco, Mexico. Arriving here just yesterday, Rukia stayed inside of the small realm that she suspected have not seen human life for a few years.

In this tiny realm, it added extra miles into the field of golden wheat she was currently lounging in. The wheat stood a foot tall or so; ready to be harvested in this never changing season of summer. The sky was a pure baby blue with large downy clouds; the breeze was warm and comfortable.

It was a land stuck in the late summer season, opposite to the late winter season most of the world was currently in.

"Death is the responsibility we all have," Rukia touched the ground beneath her, feeling the warm soil before she scooped some up into her hands. The wind swept her hair and the swaying wheat to the left, and Rukia heard the earth's heart breaking melodies once more. "It is disappearing," Her eyes became tender the more she listened, "It is dying."

Kon awakened to Rukia sitting up, and gave a confused look, "_What's dying, Nee-san?_"

The specks of earth slipped through her fingers, "This realm, Kon. It is dying."

Kon scurried towards Rukia and pressed its ear against the earth; Rukia shook her head at Kon's action but kept quiet. Long minutes passed before Kon popped his head back up, "_I can hear it, Nee-san, it's faint but I really can hear it! The earth, it's really sad and it's in pain! What should we do?_"

Her fingers drew pictures into the ground, "Unlike the real world, when a realm is dying, it cannot be healed." Rukia gave a reassured look to Kon when he gave horrified whimper, "However, unlike the real world, realms have the ability to be reborn after some years."

"_When is it going to disappear?_"

Rukia looked up from Kon and laid back down, back into her position where her body curved against the ground. "It is going to disappear, now." From the swaying field of wheat, small golden glowing balls began to rise from the ground. "When a realm dies, their essence becomes spheres and float up into the heavens."

Kon looked up and saw the spheres she was talking about. They were floating up, thousands or millions of them, golden and had a hue trait to them. "_I wonder, Nee-san, how many times, how many lives we've lived before now. Have I been here before like I am now, Nee-san, thousands of times before?_"

"Instead of thinking it like that, Kon, you should hope to return here a thousand more times," Rukia reached up and grabbed a golden orb, gently cradled it within her hands and brought it down between her and Kon. "No matter how lost we are, every soul will come back to the earth as something new. The bonds that connect certain souls to another, is a thread that will never be cut." Rukia opened her palm and released the orb, "Hopefully, we all will meet each other once more, in a better life."

Together, they watched the sphere Rukia had captured float up and while they did, Rukia calmly wiped away the tear that fell from her eye.

* * *

**A/n: ****So, there's Chapter 16 for you all! Not that exciting, I know but I still enjoyed writing it. **

**Please review! I'm hoping I'll reach 400 reviews by Chapter 17. **

**Thank you for reading and see you next month!**


	18. Chapter 17

**A/n: Well, here's Chapter 17 for everyone and I hope you all enjoy it.**

**…there isn't really anything more I can say, but I have Chapter 18 ready for everyone next month, ready to post since I'm having my wedding next month. :]**

**Also, I got no idea what happened with my account on FF, but this chapter have been READY for two weeks now but FF would not let me post it for some reason. So, I am sorry to ALL my readers. ;n; **

**Sorry and please ENJOY!**

* * *

_**Chapter 17**_

_**Perfection**_

_Many times I had tried to be perfect. I strived to be the perfection in a world of imperfections. _

_I wasn't raised to be perfect, never taught to be perfect, but I wanted to breathe as a perfect being._

_Always tried to please someone, told lies to comfort even when they needed to hear the truth, wanted to be the person they would turned to in a time of crisis. _

_I wanted to be perfect. _

_So perfect that _he _would see me as someone that he needed in his life: A perfect being that would help mold him into perfection. Like me. _

_I was persistent, nervous and a stuttering fool when he came around. _

_But I thought it was a perfect way to gain a place in his heart. No one was in the way between us. No other women have been able to have a serious relationship with him; some were even threatened by my silent claim on him because of my appearance. It made sense, _I _did have a desirable shape and beautiful features…or so I am told._

_And I believed it. I have to. Or how else was he going to notice me and take me seriously?_

_I've tried so many ways to catch his attention: cooking, knitting, telling jokes, hard work, studying, etc. _

_Every attempt I've tried has failed but I won't give up. I will try everything in my power to make him notice me. I will be perfect for both him and me. I will find a way._

_All my hopes, my wishes, and dreams…they were all I had since I developed this crush–no, this love for him since high school._

_Then, it all crashed one December evening when, in my attempt to be a perfect caring being, followed him to a hotel room, and saw him standing next to a woman; no, when I saw him standing next to a lady._

_She was a slender and graceful and short lady with bold eyes, long dark hair, and porcelain skin. _

_In comparison, she was an elegant beauty who knew who she was and where she was heading to, while _I_ was a childish girl trying to be a perfect woman. _

_I heard my heart beating and heard it break when the man I loved looked down at her the way I craved to be looked at, the love I wanted was being given to _that _lady. _

_I hated her…I wanted to hate her. I felt so jealous. I felt everything I tried to achieve had vanished in a single moment. _

_Perfection was what I wanted and tried to be. And as I stood there and saw them interact, I think it finally clicked that I cannot be perfect. _

_Perfection…I wondered what it actually meant to be perfect. _

_Then, one day when that lady was alone, eating something from the café the hotel provided, she stopped and looked up at me. She was so calm, confident, nothing that I am._

"'_Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable.' Lord Chesterfield."She said in such a clear voice before she got up, left some bills on the table and left me there. _

_Stunned and in a stupor…I couldn't help but smile. _

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 30_

"Ichi-nii, if you need anything, just call," Yuzu smiled and shut the door behind her when Ichigo nodded his head and lay back down on his bed. He was staying at his father's home since he really couldn't do anything with his current state of health.

With broken ribs, a head injury, and large bruises it was hard to move around. His little sisters were saints, cooking food for him, making sure he was comfortable, and keeping his father away from his old room.

It was an honor and privilege to have such good sisters and pack members in his life, and as he lay there he decided, "I need to get out of here."

He slowly got up, threading carefully to not upset his freshly healed wounds anymore than they already were. Since he got the injuries in his human form instead of his werewolf form, the wounds couldn't heal right away as he liked. But, even in his human form, what would normally take months for his rib to heal will only take five to seven days.

His head was healed completely, along with other bruises, and his ribs were healed but all still tender. It has been four days since his battle with Yammy, since he lost his battle with Yammy. If it wasn't for the combined forces of Byakuya and Kenpachi, Ichigo was sure he would have died.

He never realized how weak he was.

He himself couldn't defeat Yammy and he was the second most powerful werewolf in his pack after his father. However, all he could do was send some bullets to the Espada's knee and almost get killed. Then, in less than an hour, Kenpachi and Byakuya killed the Espada who claimed to be number zero. Sure, they got hurt in the progress but their powers combined equally matched or even surpassed the giant's.

"_Watch, kid, and see the power the high council has._"

That power the two showed was incredible. He wondered if his own father and godfather were that strong. Ichigo stared at his hand, seeing the rough skin and scars that he gained over his years. "I want to get stronger. I want more power." His friends, his family, and Rukia appeared across his mind. "I want to protect all of them."

Glancing over his old but working clock, it read the time and date. Thirty days since he last saw his mate, there was still no word of where she was and she hadn't been back to see him. Yoruichi returned a few days ago, admitting it would be a waste of her time to look for someone who didn't want to be found and who was good as erasing her presence.

He knew the rest saw the look in his eyes when he wasn't focusing on work or other nonsense. Many times his pack members and friends would ask if he was alright, if he needed anything, if he was sick.

Sorrow and guilt invaded his senses, even more so after the attack. It was already weird not having Rukia with him. Those days with her had such an impact on him. There were multiple times that he glanced down beside him, expecting Rukia to be there with her doe like eyes staring back up at him.

Then, worry ate away at him morning to night, in dreams and nightmares alike. He hadn't gotten a good night's sleep for a month, for all he could think and dream was Rukia being in danger and him not being able to do anything to help her.

"I should have gone with Yoruichi." He remarked to no one, rubbing his tired eyes and looking up to the window to see the moon. The crescent hangs there in a black night surrounded with gleaming stars, the moon a milky white, glowing in a mystic way.

It was beautiful, "But it's not as beautiful as you, Rukia." He spent half of an hour watching the moon before a pained howl escaped his throat and he dimly wondered if it reached Rukia's ears.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 32_

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Taken by surprise at hearing his name, Ichigo stopped in the middle of going to his father's office and looked behind him. "Who are you and how did you enter here?" Ichigo snarled, more so irritated with himself for not even smelling the man who snuck up on him.

The man smiled widely, his straight bob hair stopped underneath his chin, and he wore brown slacks with a white dress shirt. "I've always been here; I'm an acquaintance of old man-Yama."

"Gramps?" Ichigo tried to name who the man before him was, but from the absent scent in the air, Ichigo knew right away the man in front of him was already dead, but he didn't know what kind of undead Other he was and the man didn't even look undead.

"Can't smell me, eh?" The man said, "Just how it's supposed to be."

"Who are you?"

Giving a large smile, the blonde man did a melodramatic bow, "Hirako Shinji at your service." Shinji then frowned when he saw the unimpressed look on Ichigo's face, "I'm also an alchemist, and to answer your question before you ask: I know how to make a soap that will unable anyone to smell me." Ichigo still looked at the man with an untrusting stare but said nothing more before he turned to walk away.

"I recently heard you've announced your mate." Shinji smiled when Ichigo stopped and tensed, "From what I heard, she's the daughter of the American representative, Kuchiki Byakuya."

When Ichigo whipped his body around to face him, Shinji was already strolling his way to the elevator. Ichigo growled, body coiled and ready to pounce if necessary, "Yeah, so what of it?"

"Saw her some four days ago in England, quite a beauty," Shinji heard the thundering footsteps of the _beta _wolf and before Ichigo could ask the question that was weighing on him since Yoruichi last saw Rukia, Shinji answered it, almost as if he could read his mind, but then again, reading Ichigo was quite easy. "She looked fine, healthy even, taught her some spells to help her in case she was in danger."

The faltering of Ichigo steps made the alchemist's grin larger and he glanced at the _beta _once more and flicked a business card his way. "I also heard of your recent loss, I can help _you _get stronger than ever before." Entering the elevator, Shinji gave Ichigo a nod as he told him one more thing before the doors closed, "Strong enough for you to protect little Miss Kuchiki."

Once hearing those words, Ichigo's hand shot out and forced the elevator doors open, "Now," He said and glared at Shinji with determination, "I want to get stronger, now!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 41_

"Nee-san?" Kon looked up at Rukia, who was standing in front of the window, her face detached and cold like the heavy rain outside. She moved her left hand from her side and pulled out her wand from thin air, her sheer cobalt dress was dainty and Kon worried if she was freezing. He was cold and he had loads of fat on him unlike his Nee-san who might as well be skin and bones.

He was worried. His nee-san has been losing a lot of weight lately.

Rukia moved her arm; the sleeve of her dress loose enough that they didn't prohibit her movements as she pointed her wand towards Kon. The lion cub made a confused expression at her, "Nee-san?" He asked in a small voice, hoping she would turn and look at him instead of looking outside, "Let me help."

"_Quiesco_," She whispered, a light appeared from the tip of her wand and then flashed in front of Kon's face. The cub fell, his breathing slowed and he fell in a deep sleep. "I will not allow you to be tainted as well, Kon." Moving her eyes away from the dark grey world presented to her, she gave an apologetic smile to Kon and lifted him up from the ground.

She laid him on the hotel bed near the pillows, making him look like a stuff animal in case a staff member entered her room. She rubbed the cub's head, "For enduring all of this, please forgive me."

She placed some slippers on her feet and went to the small closet her room provided. Opening the door and looking in, there was a sturdy shovel in the corner. Her hand went to grab it but stopped an inch away, trembling. She took a glance to the raining world outside then back to the shovel. "My destiny," Rukia gutted out, "This is my destiny." Her fingers grasped the shovel and heaved it out of the closet; however once it was in the bright room she dropped it as if it was on fire.

Having it clunk onto the floor and laying there motionlessly, she didn't dare face it. She stood there paralyzed long enough to hear the thunderous clouds and flashes of lightning, and then with the whip of her wand and a spell on her lips, she shrank the shovel to the size of a small house key.

She picked it up. The weight was different, they should be different, but Rukia felt as if it was the same. Gripping it, she made her wand vanish and she headed out. Not giving a glance back, knowing if she did, she would probably break down.

"This is my destiny." She said again, trying to quiet down her inner sobs of pleads. It was her responsibility, she had to do this.

It was her destiny, "_and it always will be_."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 37_

"Attacks," Ichigo stated as he clicked away on the controller for the slideshow presentation he had, "Two weeks since Kuchiki Rukia was found by Yoruichi, later lost once again, there have been many reports of hollows, increasing every day. However, these hollows never attacked, only scout."

"They're scouting?" Gin asked from where he sat, his pressed suit crinkled slightly as he leaned forward and opened the paper with more detailed report of the attacks. "For what?"

Ichigo's hands tightened but he answered, "We believe they're looking for Rukia. That the leaders of the Espadas have the ability to control and manipulate hollows as a way to keep his or their identities hidden while still having the upper hand."

"That was the first two weeks since she was found by Miss Yoruichi," the young Hitsugaya said, "So, they're attacking now?"

He paused as for a moment and looked at Yamamoto before he went back to the screen that was set up, "Correct, three weeks into her official disappearance here, in Karakura, Japan. Attacks began to be reported." He clicked again and showed London, "At first, we thought they were random attacks until January twenty-seventh when it became clear that all the attacks are corresponding."

"Corresponding to what?" Aizen said with a grave frown on his lips, "Does this have to do with Signorina Kuchiki?"

"Correct," Ichigo pressed the controller and appeared another picture of a destroyed street. "The hollows appearances were scattered but the attacks are linked together. We first suspected this when hollows appeared near the site where Yoruichi found Rukia in France, however the suspicion dwindle when the appearances were completely random and scattered across Europe. Then the attacks came: destruction of streets for large cities and complete destruction for small towns.

"The first report came from Genk, Belgium. From there they lined up, two towns were destroyed in Belgium before some few streets in Meppel, Netherland. Again, there were more attacks in some towns and cities before it was moved to Bergen, Norway. The largest and most reported attack was in London, England. The tourist site, London Eye was shut down due to the destruction caused by the hollows."

"They got her trail," Byakuya said in a clear grimace.

Ichigo nodded with an angry scowl on his face, "The most recent attack was yesterday in Safi, Morocco. They're after her, if they're not right behind her or Rukia is a few steps ahead of them are still unknown."

Renji, hearing everything never once said a word during the whole meeting. He listened to their yelling, their ideas and plans to save Rukia and defeat the Espadas.

And he stayed quiet.

What could he say? He was the one that left Rukia instead of bringing her back like he was supposed to do. He let emotion get in the way of his reason. So, when the meeting ended he was one of the first to leave the room. Walking down the halls, not glancing at anyone, he cursed and slammed his fist against the wall once he was far from the meeting room and was completely alone.

He thought that Rukia would be back by now, hoping that before anyone could tell her he could confess up and inform her with the complete truth. That it was she who was Ichigo's mate, not some random female that appeared during her disappearance. Guilt was nibbling away at him and conflicting emotions built up inside of him.

Fuck, why did he have to be so vague to her?

What was he trying to accomplish?

No, that was a lie, he knew why he said that to her. He was angry and jealous and didn't want Rukia to slip further away from him. Rukia was his childhood friend, he was the one that first had a crush on her, and it was he who protected her when they were children.

But now, what right does he have to say that he was even her friend? Friends don't purposely hurt each other; no, they try to help each other instead. Remind one another that there will always be a shoulder to lean on if needed, an ear to listen to their woes, and a heart to give love.

Ichigo could make Rukia happy. Renji knew this by the way Rukia asked for the _beta_. Her eyes were cautious but hopeful, shy and had a spark of tenderness. She may not know how Ichigo felt for her completely when Renji saw her in Spain, but what could she be feeling now after what he said?

Had she entirely frozen her heart? Maybe she threw it away and replaced it with a black hole? Or, she could do what she always did and keep it as a reminder as to not let her emotions get the better of her, to live the rest of her life alone and unloved.

That way she won't get hurt.

He knew her; he grew up with her and saw what she did to herself when the love she needed and wanted was taken away from her. Yet he lied to her for selfish reasons and left her alone to face whatever problems she was going through.

Left her with the shattering lies he said and no hope.

"I fucked up," Renji grounded out, "Shit! What can I do now? What should I do now!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"If you want to protect your mate, you have to be faster!" Shinji laughed and threw more bolts of lightning towards Ichigo. It was late in the night, almost midnight and instead of feeling the probes of sleep, Ichigo was instead feeling the stabs of desire to kick Shinji's ass.

For the last five days, if Ichigo wasn't at work or at a meeting, he was training with Shinji. Sweating profoundly, Ichigo dodged bolts of lightning and sped up to where Shinji was. The task was simple, rip off the clip-on tie Shinji was wearing. He thought it was a simple request…five days ago.

The alchemist watched Ichigo's movements carefully, raising a brow at his speed and nodded his head in approval. "You're improving nicely, Ichigo." He then sent a wave of earth and soil at the speeding werewolf. "I think it's time for an increase."

Ichigo avoided the swell of earth with a growl and nodded his head, "Add them on, then," he huffed out.

Shinji grinned at the _beta _werewolf and walked up to him, with a touch and writing some symbols down on the weights around Ichigo ankles and wrist, he multiplied the thousand pound weights by two. Shinji chuckled when Ichigo fell onto his knees, "let's continue, then."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 40_

The clicking of his pen echoed throughout the room and his eyebrow wouldn't stop its twitching. Ichigo slammed his hand against the table, not caring if the poor furniture broke in half. Barely five in the afternoon Ichigo had two more hours until he had to go to Urahara's and continue their meeting from yesterday. At his home, Ichigo was trying to finish some office work but was failing at it.

All of his thoughts were being consumed by Rukia, his training, the Others meeting, and everything that wasn't work. "Shit," Ichigo got up and left his home, he wasn't going to get anything done and being cramped in there with nothing but furniture was killing him.

He walked down the streets of Karakura Town, sensing the life of both Others and humans alike. It was funny to think one day the entire human race might resent the Others, not knowing at this very moment, they were walking beside them as if it was nothing. Some may not even know that someone in their family or group of friends might be an Other.

It was sad that some humans and Others can't see beyond skin.

As he walked down the streets, Ichigo smelt something in the air and the hair on his arms stood up, "Ah," He noticed it as he looked to the left and grunted, "A hollow." Patting his belt, he felt his gun there and nodded to himself. "Time to kick some ass." Ichigo ran towards the direction of the hollow, gaining speed every time there was a surge of energy in the air.

He ran far, leaving the inner city of Karakura for the outskirts of it instead. As he skid the last corner to where the hollow was Ichigo felt the hollow's reiatsu disappear. He went from a sprint to a brisk walk and stopped when he was in a neighbourhood where all the houses looked alike. "Cookie-cutter" houses as Karin was fond of calling them. They were all the colour of a pale pink, white shutters and doors. "I'll never understand why someone would buy one of these houses."

Walking down the street, he tried to feel someone's spiritual pressure, anyone who could have killed the hollow. But, then again, why try? He was bad at recognizing who was who when it comes to spiritual energy, the only person he could tell apart perfectly was Rukia.

"Why are we here?"

Ichigo hid himself against the side of one the cookie-cutter houses out of reflex when he saw a couple walking towards him. The hollow was killed and the only people here were these two, Ichigo figured that they might have something involved with hollow's death.

The couple were both very tall; the male had long black hair and was lanky looking while the female had equally long aquamarine hair and a curvy body. "More importantly, why am I here?" The woman asked, "If he finds out, he'll kill you."

"Because I want you here, I want to show you how powerful I've become." The male said, his smile was large and disgusting, but the woman wasn't bothered by it.

"By killing that hollow?" She growled, "What are you trying to prove, Nnoitra? Don't forget, we were once hollows as well."

"Don't speak of the past, woman!" He barked back and lifted his hand; Ichigo would have gone to help if the woman didn't stop the upcoming slap with her own hand by grabbing it.

"Don't try to hit me, Quinto." She threw his hand back to him, "You and the Espadas, what you're doing is bad."

"Cry me a river."

"Nnoitra, think about this! If you and the rest continued with his plan, you will destroy everything! This isn't a game!"

"Tell me, Nel Tu," Nnoitra grabbed her shoulder and squeezed, but she didn't show any sign of pain, "Have you ever thought that we want the world to end? That we want to destroy mankind?" The man laughed, "Of course not! Ever since you met those damn children in that fucking orphanage you changed, your loyalty for us, for him who gave us life, disappeared.

"I brought you here because I wanted to show you, Nel Tu, that this is the end for you. You and I will never cross paths and if we do, there is going to be nothing holding me back from slitting your throat." The man stepped closer, and Ichigo really couldn't tell what the man was doing, but the woman stepped and turned away from the man. "Nel Tu."

"You're right, this is the end." The woman reached up and touched her forehead, finally when she was in the light, Ichigo saw the large scar she had, running from her forehead down to the right side of her nose, and a large pink horizontal tattoo stretching across her nose. "Nothing is ever going to be the same, is it?" Nnoitra sighed and shook his head, "Then, I guess the Espadas now gained a new enemy."

Nel Tu twisted around and saw the man she was with was gone. The only evidence he left behind was his foot prints on the snow and his lingering reiatsu. "You can come out now." The woman placed her hands on her hips and stared at where Ichigo was hiding, "By the way, you're terrible at hiding your reiatsu, if it wasn't for me, you would have gotten attacked by Nnoitra."

Ichigo was hoping she was talking to someone else until she mentioned the foot prints he left behind. "Fuck," Ichigo walked out to the open and decided that he needed to start training at how to control his spiritual pressure, if Rukia was here, she would have yelled at him for not controlling it by now. "You've caught me." He said, his shoulder was strained and his hands itched to take a hold on his gun.

"What's your name?" She pulled on her white jacket, "Since you already know mine."

"Kurosaki Ichigo, detective in the Karakura Police Department."

"And head security of the _Super Natura_, right?" Nel Tu saw Ichigo becoming hostile and put her hands up, "I'm not trying to fight you. I'm trying to help." She chuckled and gave a smile, "You sure as hell saved me time, though; coming to me instead of me coming to you."

"That man, who was he?" As far from his knowledge, she could be part of them, she was part of the danger that he did not want around Rukia or his family.

"The quinto Espada, Nnoitra," There was something in her eyes, and when he finally pin-pointed what it was, Ichigo realized that her and that man might have been more than mere friends.

It softened him because he immediately remembered his youngest sister after she broke up with her first boyfriend; she had that same look in her eyes. Rejected and longing, it was only because of Yuzu's tears that he didn't go to bash that guy's face in. Ichigo snapped back when he heard her talking again, "I'm the former Tres Espada."

"Former?"

"I went against the head and got in a fight with Nnoitra. They think I'm dead, but only Nnoitra knows I'm alive." She gave a tired smile and played with the tips of her hair, "I want to join the Others. I believe I have information that is useful towards your cause."

"Who's the head?" He responded quickly, if he could get the name of the leader, he and the rest of the Others could get him. Defeat that leader before a war started, save many lives that could be lost, save his girl and live happily ever after.

"Don't know, we never met him face to face, or at least I never did. He communicated to us through voice commands only, him and his partners." It was smart, she knew what the leader was doing was smart. The less who knew his true identify, the more likely he was going to survive. None of the Espadas knew his name or his appearance, only his voice.

"He has partners beside the Espadas?"

"He has a lot of things besides the Espadas."

Ichigo mulled it over and scratched his head, cursed at himself and the world again. She could be a valued ally, but then again, she was the enemy, or at least used to be an enemy. "How can I trust you? I have family and a mate that I need to protect and I'll be damned if I let a threat near them."

"There's no way I can prove to you that I'm on your side. I don't really care about trust, all I know is that I want to defeat them and I can't do it alone." Her respond was cool and indifferent, her eyes lost the tenderness they had before and were slit, whatever the Espadas had done to her, Ichigo knew she wanted more than their defeat.

Weighting out his options, Ichigo cursed again, "Follow me," he began to walk away and the woman did as he said. As he marched away, he took out his cell phone and dialled Urahara. He was quick and to the point, informing Urahara of Nel Tu's offer. Urahara, always sounding intrigued at new information, asked Ichigo to bring the girl to the shop.

"Urahara, is he the blond one? With the green bucket hat and who wears the brown jacket?" She asked when he hung up.

Ichigo felt unease at how she knew that, "How do you know?"

"We spied on him." She replied, "We spied on all of you."

Ichigo stopped and his temper flared but said nothing; he losing his temper will get him nowhere, "Ah."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 41_

The rain never ceased, in fact, she believed it had gotten even heavier. With so much rain it was difficult to see what was in front of her. She stood across the street and was drenched in cold rain. Her breath was slightly visible between the curtains of falling water.

She felt heavy, oh so heavy, that she was sure she had been wearing shoes made of lead instead of the sheer black shoes she had on. However, she had to move on and finish what she came here for. Rukia looked both ways even if she knew there wasn't a car to be seen or heard. Unwillingly she moved forward, almost dragging her feet along.

The large stone entrance stood there somberly with its dark green gates closed and locked. On top of the middle and largest gate was an arch that read, "_Panteon Civil_" in white letters, the last "L" crooked and looked as if it would fall.

There were two guards; both male but she couldn't tell what age they were. They had umbrellas over their heads. They didn't seem to notice her until she stepped on the sidewalk. The guardsmen stopped their talking and turned towards her, _"¡Alto! ¿Qué estás hacienda aqui_?" One of the men grunted to her.

The other, sounding much younger as she walked closer to the gate told her firmly, "_Lo siento, señorita, pero el pantón está cerrado._"

Rukia didn't bother to look at either one of them and kept walking forward, before both of the guards could touch her, she simply waved her wand out and silenced both of them, "_Quiesco._" She casted another spell on the sleeping guards, "_Aridum pluvial._" Having both of them asleep and protected from the rain, Rukia glanced at the gate and gave a confident huff of air. Without missing a beat she was face to face with the cold wet gates of the cemetery and began to walk through the solid metal.

Flesh and hair became flowers and vines and leaves as she walked through the gates, her body coming apart for one moment before assembling again. Another gift from being a nymph she was thankful for.

Once her body was through the gate she was stark naked. Rukia glanced down at her skin, noticing how cold she was with her skin being so pale and prickled red, blue began to appear on her skin.

She turned and bent down, reached through the curved hole of the gate to get her clothing that fell from her body. Some strands of her hair were still caught in the gates and ended in green vines with some flower buds attached to them.

It was really awkward for her to put on her clothing; her clothing was wet and cold, attached to her skin in an agony cold touch. It was plain difficult getting them on that she was truly leaning on going naked so she wouldn't have to deal with the tugging and pulling of her clothing.

But the thought of walking naked in a cemetery was extremely unappealing and so she tugged on her bra and dress, cringed when her panties became a freezing second skin. Her slip-ons were on her feet once more, the shovel was placed in her dress' pocket, and she then reached across the bars for her last piece of property.

The pocket watch necklace that endlessly ticked away. She held the simple necklace up, her eyes staring directly into the moving minute hand. She clasped the necklace on and began to walk further into the graveyard.

She strayed off the main path and weaved her way through the tombs small and large alike; some were simple while others were elaborated. However, all the tombs were beautiful even if there were ones that were destroyed by time or people.

She saw statues of saints, angels, women, and children all carved out marvelously. There were moments where Rukia thought the stone figures would come alive with their fabrics looking soft to touch and droplets of rain became tears on the statues' faces. Then, she felt eyes on her, shadows darted across, and liters of light globes floated along.

Spirits of humans and Others alike were restless here and like most cemeteries, the spirits were highly active. She smiled sadly when she heard children laughing; they were the usually the friendlier spirits when it came to visitors being around.

However none came close to her, they all probably saw it. The black mist that haunted her, that lingered and was waiting to make its move. The feel of death had gotten much stronger on her after she saw her mother's grave.

She shook off the feelings and trudged forward. The deeper she went the harder it was to ignore what she came here to do. She scanned names and statues, looking for that certain tomb she drew in her sketchbook.

Then there was a deafening strike of lightning and thunder, and in this brief moment of light, Rukia saw the headstone. A young woman with flowing waves of hair stood directly behind the marker, arms in front of her, presenting the grave as if it was a prize. From the statue's fingertips rain washed down and created a curtain.

Rukia blew some water drops from her mouth and wiped her eyes, momentarily wishing once more she had her glasses on her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the shovel, returning it to its original size with a simple spell.

Her heart was pumping as she waited for anything, anyone to come and stop what she was about to do. But no one was going to save her; there was no hero for her. She, herself, was the only person she could depend on.

Striding forward, Rukia dragged the shovel behind her and stood in front of the marker. She looked at the name of the grave she was about to devastate and apologized. Her grip on the shovel loosened for a second before she tightened her grip and stabbed the soil.

"Only a person like me can be perfect for this."

* * *

**A/n: Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, stay in tune for next month's update, and please review! :3**


	19. Chapter 18

**Ah, I almost forgot to update; however, since I noticed it was the first…I remembered. Sorry for almost forgetting everyone. **

**Well, my wedding is in 6 days and I'm freaking out. Wish me luck! **

**Edit: Trigger Warning: rape implications**

**Edit #2**

**I told myself if I get more than 10 people asking me my thought process during the almost rape scene I would tell them. Most that asked me were nice, simply curious and I am here to fulfill this promise.**

**The almost rape scene may or may not be necessary to the plot but I wanted it there because when I was 15, on May 31 at 12:18 I was raped by the brother's best friend at the time.**

**The way many of you have read Rukia's almost rape scene is an exact replica of my rape scene. Rukia's thoughts during it were my thoughts after my rape. I, like many teens, had issues and low self-esteem. I was not good at many things, thought I was worthless; I had no meaning in my life, and was struggling at discovering who I was like many.**

**My parents had a business but they were always working so I was alone most of the time…that made me lonely and placed a lot of pressure on me. I didn't want to cause trouble for my parents.**

**The man that raped me was 10 years my senior, I've met him many times before. My brother left us alone for twenty minutes to go buy snacks and 2 liters of soda. At that time, I got in a fight with my boyfriend-now husband-and was feeling shitty about myself. So, when he raped me I was emotionless, because I didn't want to cause anyone trouble.**

**The moment he was done, he got up and told me to get clean before my brother got back. I did and in the midst I got a call from my boyfriend. He was in Disneyland with his family and called me to tell me he was thinking about me. That he was sorry and that next time, he'll take me.**

**I couldn't answer him so I hung up and marched out to the living room in my ripped shirt and unbutton shorts. My brother was there with that man, and I told him, loudly as I could, that he raped me. Soon after I called the cops, gave the evidence they needed before I went to shower.**

**What I hated most; however, was the reason why he raped me. I was "pretty" in his opinion and that was his reason.**

**So to those that may or may not assume that people who write almost rape scenes, rape scenes, and etc…this, at least for me, is a way to express myself in a more health manner. I know many that do this.**

**I do apologize to those that were raped and read this, I selfishly was thinking about my need to release this pent-up anger. If someone is reading this, please do not pity me for I do not need it. I'm a strong woman**

**The reason why I wrote this almost rape scene is so I can finally stop thinking about everything I should have done to that man. I skipped the normal stages of a raped victim and went straight to "that man raped me." I knew right away that this wasn't my fault, that I did nothing to ask for this event in my life, and I'll be damn if I hear someone say they are worthless.**

**No one is worthless.**

**Please, no matter what, fight for your life, happiness, and love.**

**To those who asked, this is the reason. **

**Warning you guys, once again, trigger rape implication scene ahead. **

_**Chapter 18**_

_**The Mind**_

"_Such a fragile thing–the mind that is," The man who was speaking was dressed in a fine brown suit, sitting at his large desk, his walls covered in large amounts of ancient books. He looked across from him. On the other side of his desk was his companion, the man who recently devoted utter loyalty to him. The other man was dressed in a cool silver suit. Arms perched on the chair's arms and hands under his chin. The man in the brown suit gave a confident smirk. "After all, when your mind becomes infected, you are at your most vulnerable." _

"_What are we going to do, now?" The man in gray asked, "I thought from that experience, her mind would crack, leaving her heart open, completely defenseless and the removal of the Hōgyoku would be in our reach."_

"_That child is the daughter of one of the most powerful wizards of our time; I suspected we wouldn't get our hands on the Hōgyoku…at least not today." The man in brown adjusted his glasses and leaned back in his chair. "You've asked what we are going to do and I'm telling you now: We are going to wait."_

"_For what?" The man in brown heard the crack in the other's voice and then remembered that his partner was very young, still in his teen years. Who, unlike him who lived for many years, still was developing into a man. _

"_For when that child gains another person she thinks she would be unable to live without. Then, crush it again, weakening her mind once again and isolating her." Grabbing the bottle of scotch, the man gave himself and his companion another refill. _

"_So, you're saying we are going to do this a couple more times, then?"The man in gray drowned his drink down, not even making a face at the scored bitterness of the drink clawing down his throat._

"_Like I said, she's the daughter of a great wizard, which means she's nearly as strong as or stronger than her father. However, I believe once more, maybe twice, is all we need. We just need to make it even more traumatizing than the first." The man moved his chair around, to face the window with a spark of conquest in his eyes. "I'm willing to wait; in spite of everything, I've been waiting for this opportunity to come again after eighty-eight years."_

_The man in gray used this moment of not being watched under his partner's eyes to let his own eyes to relax and grow with aged worry. His partner was right, the mind is a fragile thing and what they have done to that little girl will never leave her. All he wanted to do was stand and stab the man in front of him, for the sin he caused! For the sin he helped cause!_

"Damn it all,_" The man thought and drowned himself another drink, using it as an excuse for the watering of his eyes. When he first agreed to this, he did it for her, his childhood friend that he almost lost, that almost left him. His childhood friend that meant more to him than his own life, the girl that he would gladly die for just to see her smile for him. _

_With this man, he could gain power, protect her and when he could finally get grace to smile down upon him, he would tell her he loved her. Yes, he was young, still in his teens, but he knew what love was, he knew because it was the only name he would place on the feelings he felt for her._

"_The mind is a fragile thing but at the same time it's what protects the heart from being broken."The man in brown said as he watched the sun starting to set, "I will personally make sure to crush it and when I do, I will be a God."_

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 45_

Dear God, she was tried.

The night was long, she was cold and drenched, but Rukia wouldn't quit digging until she heard the "clank" of her shovel making contact with the coffin. Her hands shaking, she quickly removed all dirt on the coffin and went to open the wooden casket.

She then froze and thought over everything she had just done.

What was she doing? Why was she even doing this? Did she need to do this? Couldn't she get up, leave and act as if this never happened? She could, she should but she was not going to. Her fingers stretched and she wiped her eyes against her shoulder, wiping away some of the droplets of rain–pathetic attempt with the heavy storm still continuing.

She shook her head to rid the doubts she had and stared at where her hands were rooted and everything became quiet for her. Would there be a body under this wooden barrier? Was she going to face death again and would she escape it this time? Death has been by her side since her mother's death, he was neither a friend nor foe. Simply a remainder of her soon upcoming future, her fate of where she was going to land.

Let it be Heaven.

Let it be Hell.

It was all the same to her.

She would be leaving the people she had grown close to, leaving the man she hoped she could take a chance with. Then, in the abyss of silence an echo of her heavy breathing appeared, followed by the crashing of rain on the ground, the wind howling, leaves rustling, spirits fluttering, and her heaves of air being pulled into her body as she pulled the upper half door of the coffin open.

Relief filled her, overwhelmed her when she saw there was no body in the open casket. No, instead she was met with hollow settings; she moved to stand in it and opened the other side. She then met with an entrance on the base, stairs, spiraling down to a chamber and she momentarily wondered why she always met with stairs.

Rukia was about to descend the stairs when she looked at the hole she dug herself in and gave a frown, "I literally dug myself a grave." She whispered and when she did, flashes of light and a pile of rotting corpses were at her feet. Eyes emptied and shallow, flesh decayed, bones peeked out from here and there. Smell, oh, the smell was horrible and clawed its way up her nose, making her gag and caused her own eyes to swell up with tears.

She was standing in it, on them.

The shock of it threw her back and when she hit her head against the muddy dirt wall of the hole. The bodies were gone and she was standing on top of a step, not on bodies. Her breathing became very erratic and then pain etched itself into her chest. It felt as if something or someone was squeezing her lungs and the only way it would feel better is if she got air into them. But she couldn't, the ability to get air into her lungs was impossible when her throat was being constricted.

However, beyond the wheezing and the sting of tears wanting to escape, Rukia gave a feeble smile and thought of the irony of her forgetting her inhaler and the possibility of her dying right here, at this moment, in a grave, for a stupid little mistake.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 73_

"You're lucky that you're a Were, Kurosaki." Ishida pulled back the curtains and pushed the window open, letting fresh air enter Ichigo's living room. "All of your smoking would have already killed a normal human being."

"I smoke because the smell of it blocks out the other smells around me." From the sofa he sat at, Ichigo simply puffed out more smoke as he stared straight at his ceiling, not being bothered by the streak of light glaring at his eyes. "Werewolves had sensitive nose, remember?"

With the new light, Ishida saw that the only article of clothing Ichigo had on was his blue stripped pajama pants. Furthermore, the elf shook his head and glared at the werewolf when he saw Ichigo's table cluttered with day old take-out food and his ash tray had a fresh mass of burnt out cigarette buds.

"This is plain disgusting, Kurosaki, how about instead of smoking your days away you actually clean this place up?" When he got no answer, Ishida felt a vein throbbing on his right cheek and kicked the coffee table to get Ichigo's attention.

The table that usually was a steady piece of furniture acted like toothpicks under Ishida's powerful kick. The contents on the table fell to the ground, the ash tray shattered and Ichigo only raised a brow. "It's time to get your ass up, there's some work need to be done."

The werewolf took a glance around his living room. This was the collection of his weekend off, his weekend that he was forced to take off by his father and his co-workers at the police department. They all thought he was becoming a workaholic and he didn't have any problems saying it was true. He had been working non-stop for almost a month now since they lost reports of where Rukia was.

It was almost as if she was swept away, becoming one with the wind and leaving no trace behind her.

No more hollow attacks were being reported, or at least not in a corresponding matter.

So, he needed a distraction and that distraction became his work. At the hotel he occupied himself with stationing werewolves and trusted Others where he found necessary, interviewing suspects, infiltrating adversaries, even handling finance, anything to keep him busy until he had to go to his office at the police department.

His time at the office was almost completely different than his time spent at the hotel. Ichigo would go on cases, chase and capture criminals, patrol in the worst neighborhoods, in simple words: he was looking for trouble.

And trouble he got.

Ichigo had already been admitted to the hospital more than five times. Most notable for the time he was stabbed, shot at, and got hit so hard on the head that he had a concussion.

It was after his concussion, when he tried to go back to work, that his father threw him out and told him he had the weekend off. The same thing happened at the office but that time he was thrown out by Chad.

Hell, even Shinji cancelled their daily training so Ichigo could take a break. Even after he was improving so much, he was even reaching Shinji's level of swiftness and agility. Fuck, he bet he could even take his dad on for the position of _Alpha_, sure he would never attempt to try to take the title, but still, he felt _that _much stronger, faster, sharper, even his senses became more acute.

So being told he needed a break baffled him to the core. A break from 'what,' the _beta _wolf didn't know. He didn't need a break, he didn't want one. He needed to work, to get himself together instead of being a mush of a pitiful wolf he was at the moment.

Without his work, he didn't really know what to do. His sisters were busy doing teenager stuff, his father at work, he wasn't desperate enough to hang out with Keigo or Urahara. He avoided his bedroom because his sheets and some portions of his room had Rukia's faint scent and he didn't need to be reminded at how powerless he was at the moment.

So his ears perked at the word "work" Ishida muttered. "What kind of work?" Ichigo's voice was rough after not saying anything more than ten words over the unfulfilled weekend.

"Nel Tu sided with us but she's still being kept on the down low, not yet even being introduced to the full council of Others." Ishida shifted and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Not even Yamamoto knows of Nel since she was being kept hidden at Urahara's. Did you know that Miss Yoruichi even began to show the once Tres Espada how to cook and clean?

"Urahara doesn't think it's time for the Others to know of her." Ichigo stayed silent and kept listening, "We got all the information we could from her and she's helping at keeping the city clean from random hollows. She's a good ally"

"What the fuck does this have to do with me?" Ichigo stood and flicked his cigarette on the floor and stepped on it with his bare feet, "You said work. What kind of work?"

"Pack up and get at least three pair of outfits." Ishida was fixing his cuff and smirked at the unimpressed look on Ichigo's face, "Unless you don't want to come with me to bring Rukia-san home."

Silence fell upon Ichigo's stunned face, and he heard his heart beating against his chest. The world could have passed by him and he wouldn't have noticed. When he repeated Ishida's words in his mind once, twice, trice. Everything rushed back into him, he felt as if he was getting a fresh breathe of air in his stuffy living room.

His body restored missing pieces, almost becoming complete while many short bursts of excitement exploded inside his chest. He always thought he felt lighter because of Shinji's training, but now, he felt lighter in a whole different level.

A smile burst across his face and it was a strange sensation to smile so big, but it was a welcoming sensation. Ichigo had to suppress the feeling of scooping Ishida into a bear hug and jumping up and down; so, to suppress those feelings, he ran to his room to get ready. "Give me a minute, Ishida!"

The elf was taken back, not used at seeing Ichigo in such a high spirit, especially after seventy plus days. "Kurosaki! Our flight is four hours from now!" He yelled to the _beta_ that was already jumping down steps to reach the living room.

"What do you mean in 'four hours' we're leaving? Why not now?"

"Because the flight is in four hours," Ishida huffed, "We're lucky that Abarai received call from–"

"Rukia called him?" Ichigo's once happy voice became sharp.

Ishida had to scoff at another display of male dominance Ichigo was showing. "No, it was the Shiba's, a family friend of the Kuchiki's. They happen to know Abarai's number since Abarai still keeps in touch with them." Ichigo frowned at that but said nothing more until he asked where Renji was. It was then Ishida scowled angrily, "He was already in the place ready to leave after I was told by Urahara."

"That fucker!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 41_

Finally reaching the last step, Rukia glanced around the confined room and took a quick look at the stairs she just descended from. She still didn't have her body under control even if her mind relaxed. She still was quivering, twitching and taking deep, but shaky breathes. She wasn't completely sure if it was because of her near panic attack or from the rain storm.

She took a step forward. The sturdy stone floor was cold. She ambled her way in, cautious at every shift her feet made as she got her wand out and illuminated the dark dreary room.

It was a small room, stone floors and walls and ceiling, there was dirt and insects crawling all over and Rukia had to repeatedly tell herself they won't jump on her. However, another detail in the cramp room Rukia was avoiding to acknowledge was the large stone tomb in the middle of the room.

She tried to say something, to curse, or whine but she couldn't. Her vocal chords wouldn't make a complete sound except for a dismal sigh. She walked forward, scrunching her nose at the smell that was seeping and was trying not to let it get to her.

Reaching the stone tomb, there was no name or date of death, no amorous designs. Just plain stone with the sentences etched on that read:

_Un tesoro que va a destruir la barrera entre el hombre y Dios._

She read the words but did not touch the writing. Her hands instead placed the end of her wand in her mouth and latched themselves against the side of the tomb's lid and pushed. Grunting at how heavy it was and trying not to breathe in the gust of rotting flesh. She didn't know how long it took to get one side of the tomb to the side but it was long enough that she got three breaths full of putrid flesh.

Without any hesitation, Rukia took a look into the tomb and saw the rotting body. It was a girl, blond patches of hair still attached and her skin pasty, sagging that it was already falling off, and there were bugs creeping upon and in her dead body.

The woman was still young, a teen perhaps shying to the age of seventeen. Thin lips, nimble fingers, and had a normal build. Rukia saw the woman's fingers; at least three of them were already showing bone, scraps and pieces of rotting flesh being eaten away. If she touched her, Rukia was afraid the dead woman would dissolve into nothing but dust.

Then, there was a sensation of awe that past over her. While it may not be the first time, it was still a feeling of amazement when staring into the face of death. She was one breath away from joining this woman in eternal sleep, realizing that this was the gruesome end that all living creatures must face one day.

This was the reward one received for being born.

The inevitable.

She shook her head and continued to look at the woman, seeing if there was anything she was missing. There has to be.

And she saw it.

There it was, tucked tightly and securely, almost hidden in her hands was a letter. Rukia stretched to grab the letter, going on the tips of her toes to reach and stopped when she was an inch away. She took a fleeting look at the woman and thought she must have been beautiful.

"I am very sorry for disturbing your sleep. Hopefully you are able to forgive me." She whispered and went to fish for the letter. She pulled back and stifled a gasp as a rush of warm draft went through her and the sleeping woman shot her eyes open.

Brown murky eyes looked straight into the ceiling, hands were unmoving from where they were perched on the blond woman's chest, and she didn't notice Rukia who was staring at her with wide eyes. Moments passed where the corpse did nothing but stare and stare.

At that single second she let out a cry.

It was almost like a siren, Rukia had to squeeze her hands onto her ears to drown it out and it lasted longer than Rukia would have liked. A pitch so loud that it echoed throughout the cemetery, drowned out the storm from above, and Rukia hoped no one was going to investigate where that noise came from. She didn't want to put more people to sleep, especially in a cemetery.

It got louder and louder and when Rukia thought her brain was going to implode from the sheer shriek, it stopped and everything was silent.

Like it never happened.

Rukia wrenched her eyes open and fixed herself up, straightening her legs and quickly moved back to the coffin. She grunted when she collided with the stone and looked up and over to see nothing. The corpse that once slept there was gone, no bone or dust left over, not even the smell lingered.

She looked around her, half expecting to see the corpse standing behind her or in a corner. Yet there was nothing, just the bleak hollowness of the room and the ever so rising rain water. Lifting a foot up, Rukia wondered why she hadn't noticed the water level rising. After all, it was passing her ankles now.

Steadily, Rukia went to the other side of the tomb and pushed the lid back into its place. Grunting and groaning as it screeched and Rukia let out a winded breath when she was done. God, she was getting tired so much faster than she used to. While her magic increased. Her health decreased, it was a price, a stupid one but then again, she wasn't trying to stop getting stronger magically.

The glow of the wand on top of the tomb was a reminder of where she was and Rukia quickly grabbed it and stride forward to the small stairs.

She scowled as she saw her hands clenching the items they were holding and continued to tremble. She bit her lip and wanted nothing more than to feel the piercing rain on her skin again, hopefully numbing her whole body.

Shivering, out of cold or fear or plain disgust, she didn't know, but she wanted it to stop. She could drink something warm to reheat her body, but she knew a hot drink wouldn't stop the trembling. It was a bodily reaction that she could only control when someone else was in her presence, when alone, her mind lost control of her body's function.

She was losing control, the webs of restraint and strength of her mind was coming undone and slipping off of her.

It was frustrating.

She was a Kuchiki, God damnit! She was supposed to be cold as ice, emotionless and apathetic. Emotions shouldn't get the better of her, not now.

When she was outside, the rain hitting her, Rukia pressed onwards and climbed out of the grave and decided to leave it open. There was no body down there anymore; there was no name or date of death. This tomb could be put into good use and bury someone else.

With a huff of consent, she turned to leave and was smacked in the face. She didn't feel the pain at first, only the shock that she was hit followed by the law of gravity of her hitting the ground next.

A crackle of laughter erupted behind her, "You must've been caught up with something for you not to feel my reiatsu. I didn't even hide it." Rukia didn't bother to look who it was since she was franticly looking for her wand that was thrown from her hand. "What's wrong, Kuchiki? You haven't said a word to me!"

The man grabbed her ankle and dragged her a few feet away. She cursed herself for being idiotic enough to lose her wand.

And to think, she believed things would go smoothly for her.

Rukia waited patiently though. Waiting for the right moment to catch this man off guard, to free her ankle. Then, as quickly as he appeared and hit her, he was hauling her up from her dress and went for another hit. Luckily, she was ready this time. The block from the attack of his fist was caused by her hand. She landed a quick jab to his inner elbow and another to his shoulder before kneeing him in the stomach.

Her feet were still unstable and Rukia stumbled a few steps back. Hands and arms out and in position, tense and ready to uncoil when the man made another attempt to attack her.

Once it happened, Rukia easily kept her shock underneath her indifferent mask. Besides that it was the Aaroniero who was attacking her, the dispatch of assaults were incredible. Her mind knew what to do: block, block, lean left, strike at elbow, strike at shoulder, send elbow to collide with wind pipes.

It was a simple formula, she read his attacks so easily but when she tried to follow those simple tasks she was too slow. Her body was heavy and sluggish. The reality of her getting weaker, physically weaker threw her so off that she lost focus of the fight.

That was when Aaroniero took the opportunity to step forward, backhand her and when she gained back her balance he sent a punch to her stomach.

She fell to her knees like a rag doll while gasping for the sudden lost of air and then he launched a kick at the side of her face. She landed on her side, her eyes blinking in a confused gaze. She still didn't feel any pain; it was probably the adrenaline rush that prevented her from feeling it.

With a muffled groan, she tried to push herself up but another kick was sent to her stomach, causing her arms to reflex and hold her abdomen. Her chest was rapidly rising and falling, lungs were constricting and then blood seeped from her lips.

"Such a pretty little thing, aren't you?" Aaroniero cooed at her as he began to circle around her tired body, "Just like a doll, smooth skin, a lovely face even with all that blood and dirt, but unlike a doll you have a real breathing body." His voice was a rough groan; she heard the lust that came from him as he looked down at her.

It was thick, disgusting and repulsing. "Such a nice body, and so very weak without your magic, aren't you? But no worries, I'm here to help you, I'll take you to a nice warm place, get some food into you, I'll take care of you, Kuchiki." He stopped circling her and was now behind her, she felt the leer of his eyes on her, his reiatsu flowing heavily with hunger.

Damn it! If only she had her wand she'd send a bolt of lightning through the repulsive Espada. She struggled to push herself up, and when she was supporting herself on her elbows, she heard him give another cackle. "Oh no, no, no, Kuchiki." He placed the ball of his foot on her back and forced her down, increasing the pressure of his weight until she gave a cry of pain. "There's still the price you have to pay for having me help you."

He was now kneeling over her, "Nothing big," He said, "I'm just going to fuck you as payment." One hand kept the painful pressure on her back, right on of her lungs, making it incredibly difficult for her to breath. Another hand was traveling down and took a hold of her hips, "After all, hips like these were made for fucking."

As he pushed the hem of her dress up, thighs being exposed, it was like someone flashing a spring of light to her face, Rukia realized the situation she was truly in. At that sudden notion she went into an inner conflict.

The thought of being raped never crossed her mind before, sure, she heard stories and read the news when such things came up but she _never _thought about it fully. Getting raped meant having sex only by force, an act where the rapist had the power and control, when anger was the primary motive.

Rape has a devastating effect on the mental health of victims; it was traumatizing moment in a person's life. Nothing will be the same after this moment, when this Espada was going to rape her. She would change, her perceptive on life would change, her relationships she currently have would change as well.

Aaroniero lifted her hips up, his hand still pressed harshly against her wheezing chest as the other snaked up and slipped her panties to the side. "Not fighting I see," He sneered, "And what's with those eyes! Don't you care that I'm about to fuck you sideways!"

The more she thought about it, about what he said, the more it sank into her mind and she concluded to herself: she didn't care. All in all, she deserved this and who would care if this happened?

The Espada shouted more words at her and when she didn't respond he jerked her on her back and wrapped his hand around her neck. Squeezing until she was gasping. "I'm going to break you, Kuchiki-bitch. Fuck you so hard 'til I'm done with you." He started to untie his pants, breathing hard and impatiently.

He looked like an overgrown, mutated pig she decided as he kept wringing her neck. The only thing she felt was disgust for being defeated by a little horror like him.

Oh well, this body was nothing, it had no real value. She was a container after all. Her body, her virginity, she wasn't going to give it to anyone and it wouldn't matter if she even wanted to. What she needed to protect was her mind, if her mind was broken everything will be lost.

If she lost, every living soul would lose.

She won't have those lives on her shoulders; she won't allow herself to lose. No more blood. This Espada could do whatever he wanted; she wouldn't care because there were things more important to the world.

Aaroniero shoved his pants down and reached to open Rukia's legs and pushed the panties to the side again. "The rumors of nymphs being hairless are true, I see. Oh, I'm going to have a fucking ball with your body, Kuchiki-bitch."

Compare to everything else, Rukia believed her body, her virginity was expendable. No one would care.

_Ichigo would have none of that as he caught her chin and pressed her forehead against his, "I don't want to."_

_ "You dare deny me?"_

_Ichigo didn't bother to answer and instead kissed her again._

The cold vacant eyes she had disappeared, "Eh?"

"Ah, so now you speak. Any last words, bitch?" Aaroniero laughed.

Tears were leaving her, now. Hot fresh tears from her eyes melded together with the rain and ran down into her hair line. She was dim-witted and daft to think of him. He had a mate, a mate that wasn't her and never going to be her and yet she thought of him.

After days of trying to surpass the memories of him, it all rushed forward: his impulsive nature, stubborn determination, and caring spirit. His taste, touch, scent. It was as if he was next to her, she remembered them so vividly.

And here she was, not fighting back as an Espada was about to violate her. Coils of loathing filled her stomach. Towards him, towards herself, and she wanted to throw it all up. Vomit all the abhorrent thoughts she had and cry at her weakness.

More tears rushed down and she turned her head to the side, wanting to hide them. Her heart paused in sync with her lungs that quickly exhaled and her eyes shot closed. The range of emotions she felt plagued her and it was when she finally let those emotions over take her system, her body and sanctuary, as her lungs expand again with air filling them up, and her eyes finally took the millisecond to open and stare up to the darkened rain clouds.

She _wanted _him. Only him. She only, truly, desired to stand next to him. To be happy and to dream, to help him at riddles that a third grader could solve. She wanted so much more than this. She wanted to live, become happy with herself so she could be with him. "I want to stand by him." She choked out.

Aaroniero glanced up at her face and smiled, "Tears won't help you, Kuchiki-bitch."

"No," She forced herself to answer calmly, "tears never helped before."

"Get ready for the ride of your pathetic life," He rasped out and as he thrust forward and so did Rukia's left knee. It landed on his chin and Rukia pulled her leg back slightly and sent it to directly to the Espada's face.

Her hands went up to her necklace and ripped the pocket watch off her neck. The rarely used gleaming sword formed as she flipped away. The weight of it in her hands, the power coursing through her, when was the last time she used this weapon in favor of her wand? Oh, it was when she first killed that hollow in front of Ichigo, how long ago was that?

The ribbon of her sword, stained with water, fluttered in the wind and Rukia reminisced the last time she fought in the rain. She was fifteen at the time, just inherited her newfound title of future priestess, and killed her master soon after his daughter killed him and his wife.

Aaroniero was cursing from where he landed, nursing his jaw when he noticed her. "Going to fight now, huh? Tell me, what gave you hope?" His question went unanswered. With a scoff he stood as well and released his own sword. "For your disobedience, I'm going to show you who your 'master' is."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Day 74_

Even if the country side was peaceful, spring just arriving and everything starting to be born could not be compared to the fury that passed through Ichigo as he listened to Ishida, knuckles white, heart racing, and eyes a blaze.

They arrived at Spain an hour ago and rented a car, heading to Rukia's old childhood summer home. It was then during this car ride that Ishida had taken over the driving to the Shiba's Estate since he started to recall some of the information he kept from Ichigo when they were in Japan.

"According to Abarai, Kūkaku Shiba was led to Rukia by Kon. She was slouched on the inside of the gate, stands of clothing and hair still in the form of flowers and such. In other words, she looked horrible, beat up, and too tired that she couldn't even get past the gate.

"It seems that her Kleine-Levin Syndrome kicked it at that time. She has been asleep for more than three weeks now. When they found her though, she was drenched even when there was no rain during that time, her clothes were ruined, and she was stabbed three times in her abdomen, lungs filling up with blood. They were–"

Ishida abruptly stopped talking when Ichigo, whose fury overpowered him, broke the car window with his fist. "Why didn't you tell me earlier!"

"This is a fucking rental, Kurosaki! Who do you think will have to pay for this?"

"Who cares?" Ichigo growled, "My mate is in pain for a month, why weren't we informed early about this?"

Ishida kept quiet and whispered, "There's more."

"More?" He growled, "There's more!"

"Senora Shiba…" The way that Ishida was hesitant to tell Ichigo, it was deafening. Ishida gripped the car's wheel, flexing his fingers once and then twice. Ishida was never a man that would stall, one trait that he shared with Ichigo was his blunt approach to any situation. Yet, he couldn't at this precise moment tell Ichigo the other factor that was discovered when Rukia was found.

When found out himself, threads of shock filtered through him, like a gush of wind, and he wasn't sure how to react other than an "_I understand, anything else_?"

The elf blinked when he heard a curse and his name again, "Ishida, I swear if you don't fucking tell me what–"

"She thinks Rukia-san might have been or was in the process of getting raped."

"Stop the car."

"What?" Ishida looked at the wolf; saw Ichigo's eyes couldn't be seen because of his orange hair. But he didn't miss the wolf's clenched jaw.

"Stop the car or fucking speed up!"

Hitting the brakes, Ishida watched as Ichigo walked out of the car and took a huge tank of air into his lungs. His gaze was towards the blue sky, the chilly air barely breaking past his natural lupine warmth. Ichigo shut his eyes and processed the words again in his head. Hearing them clearly, "_She thinks Rukia-san might have been or was in the process of getting rape_."

Every word was like a needle of anesthetic being placed into his veins. Through the numbness that was overtaking him, he went further into the meadow sideline they stopped at and began to pace. He was sporting vulgar language on his lips, muscles tense and ready to lash out, and an aura of wrath overwhelmed him.

This continued only for a few moments until Ichigo went to the nearby tree and punched it. The impact of his fist against the tree was powerful enough that that tree split where Ichigo's clenched hand landed. He was breathing hard and felt the fractures in his bones, heard the crack, but went on to hit the tree again and again. He only stopped when his knuckles started to drip blood.

Even with his back turned to Ishida, the elf could feel the helplessness the werewolf felt, the fury and vulnerability, and hope that Rukia getting raped didn't happen. Ishida waited for the werewolf to calm down and lowered his gaze to the road when Ichigo gave a pained howl.

~o~o~o~o~o~

The Shiba's estate was coming into view, and fast. Before getting back into the car, Ichigo tricked Ishida into letting him drive and the elf has been cursing at him ever since. He was extremely past the speed limit but no cop was insight since the Shiba's estate was in the countryside.

The closer they got, the bigger the house got until it became an enormous mansion. Then, on the side, far right to the side, peeked another house. The car screeched to swift stop in front of the gate, and Ichigo growled at the closed entryway and gave a honk. Ishida scowled and got out of the car, "Stop that, idiot!" He hissed and went to the gates.

The large gateway towered over the elf, metals curved into brawny muscular arms on top of the gate and Ishida shook his head. Kūkaku Shiba still was the same, bad taste will forever course inside that woman's blood. The moment he reached to open the gates' latch he stopped when Ichigo stepped out of the car as well.

A hard glint was present in his eyes; Ishida was about to ask what was wrong when a loud shriek burst from the house. It was inhuman, loud and ghastly, and extremely hollow.

**A/n: Well…do you think Rukia is going to get rape? Yes? No?**

**Well, you have to wait for next month to find out! Please review and I hope everyone, have a nice month of May!**


	20. Chapter 19

**A/n: Hm, the last chapter must have come to a shock to most of you guys. I only got less than 3 reviews that were deeply serious that I did not post any warning of "almost rape." That was my bad. **

**However, I would like to remind everyone that I do not get influence by my reviews (as much as I love them). The reason why I say this is because some reviews/pm demand I write my story a certain way and even if I do not want to sound like a bitch but this is my story. I write it for myself because I enjoy writing and I want to share it with you guys. **

**I do not mind suggestion but I do mind demands. **

**This chapter was written before Chapter 18 was published because it was planned this way and I can say I am four chapters ahead after I publish this chapter. My story is not "go with the flow" I like to plan my chapters. **

**Also, this is the shortest chapter I ever written (11 pages) and the reason why is because I feel if I add anymore it will ruin the chapter's meaningful theme.**

**So, without further much ado…**

* * *

_**Chapter 19**_

_**Development of Desire**_

_"This notion of me becoming God, this desire. It came to me when I was a young boy. Wanting to control a large world when I was nothing but an expendable speck in its eyes." The man walked forward, towards the crystal table with its round basin holding water of _Sostantivo_. "Even now, a hundred years later, I am still an expendable pawn."_

_The water was clear but at the edge, mist rose and spilled from it. An image appeared on the water's rippling wave: a lady, young and beautiful with blue eyes that were dimming, her life flickering away as blood pour out of her. "This woman is not expendable." _

"_So, tell me, why is she dying?" The man with his knowing brown eyes looked behind him. Three beings stood before him. His top three Espada: Coyote Starrk, Baraggan Luisenbarn, and Tia Harribel._

_He, at first, received no answer and his anger boiled inside of him, but his outer appearance was cool and collected. He then smirked, "If someone is going to kill this woman it's going to be me; once again, who sent Aaroniero to bring her to us?"_

_None of the Espadas looked at each other, they all knew who did it but if someone was going to reveal who it was, it was going to be that person itself. _

_"It seems none of you value your life. Life I have given to you and could easily take away." The subtle threat was enough to bring the one responsible to step forward. However, before she had a chance to explain or beg for forgiveness she was stricken down and killed. "Looks like we got a new Tres Espada, gentlemen; but for now, how about we make sure little Kuchiki stays alive. If I still have visual over her for thirty more minutes, then we'll look for her."_

_The man dismissed the Espada and went back to the basin of water. He stared down into it, taking in the woman who had three puncture wounds in her stomach by the deceased Nueve Espada's triton. She finally removed the triton from her abdomen, eyes glazed with death as she began to struggle to her feet. _

_Many times she collapsed from the pain, but she kept moving and only stopped to retrieve her wand and the envelope she found in the tomb. The man read signs she passed in the street and heard the language that was being spoken and raised an impressive brow when he concluded she was in Mexico. _

_The thought of actually rescuing her sickened him. He didn't want to be a hero in others' eyes. No, he wanted her to look up at him with hatred, pure disgust so when she finally loses all hope, he could become God. _

_He watched the woman for a few more minutes, witnessing her struggle against the cold rain that was washing her blood away, preventing her body from beginning its repair on her wounds. The only reason she hadn't drop dead yet was because of her determination to not give up to Death's affection. Her eyes, still glazed, had an undertone of icy fire, willpower and resolve. _

_With that strength, her magic slowly rebuilt and his vision of her lost in the mist. "Guess we won't look for her then." A man, a tad taller but slender than the brown eyed man, appeared from behind a pillar. "If we can't see her then it means that her magic came back to her."_

"_In other words, she'll survive for another day." The man with brown eyes nodded._

"_Should we do something about the werewolf?"_

"_No, he's just a lovesick mutt. If he gets in the way, he'll get shut down." With his brown eyes still staring at the water, he admired the young woman's strength even if he couldn't see her. "When she regains her strength and is in perfect health once more, we'll capture her." He then walked away with his strides clean and precise, "Everything in due time."_

~o~o~o~o~o~

He was fast, he knew he was.

He was a werewolf.

He was faster, stronger, quicker, and smarter than your average man. "_Then why does it feel as if I'm moving sluggishly through sand rather than a lawn of crisp grass?_"

Far behind was Ishida. Both were in the same mind set: getting their weapons out and ready. Ichigo looked back and gave a nod.

It was never a surprise how in a state of crisis messages could get through so clearly with one look.

Ichigo drifted to the side and ran to the backyard while Ishida went and searched inside the house. Ichigo heard cries of hollows being killed, and when he reached the backyard he nearly collided with a thrown Renji.

There were now three roaming hollows that have not met the end of Renji's weapon. The human was beat up bad, bleeding and had his hand gripping his gun with white knuckle ferocity. Renji propped himself up on his arms and shook his head while struggling to get on his feet.

The yard was covered with many dying hollows, reiatsu dust floating up into the sky of the deceased hollows and a once beautiful backyard now was in a disaster with ruined stone pathways, broken fountains, upheaval of flower beds and bushes. Near the far right, there was the figure of a fallen man, human from the smell, but unknown to Ichigo.

Renji coughed and his eyes focused on the _beta _werewolf, "Kurosaki…when did you–"

"Where's Rukia?"

Renji's lips twitched into a quick smile, painful from the strain of muscles, "Told her to go into hiding, daft woman doesn't know how to take an order and ran off to the Mariposa's Estate, even got some hollows to follow her."

Ichigo cursed but was thankful that she was awake. "Got it, now shut it and relax. I'll finish these last three fuckers." Ichigo observed the hollows and evaluated their strength. With a quick reflex he got his gun out and aimed it at the weakest of the three. The bullet hit the hollow directly in the back of the head, and the sudden disappearance of the hollow caught the attention of the other two.

He gave a feral smirk. Confident as he could finally put the training Shinji gave him into good use. He took a deep breath and the black handgun pulsed and began to melt. The black liquid ran through his fingers before it molded into a daitō. A long and sleek black blade, a black swastika hilt, and a black handle guard formed in his hand.

The sword was light and the broken chain hanging at the end of the handle guard reminded him of Rukia's own sword.

Her sword was completely white.

His sword was completely black.

The hollow on the left gave a roar and charged at Ichigo. The werewolf watched with attentive eyes and moved in swift advances. He blocked one large claw, avoided a tail aimed at him, and impaled his sword into the hollow's arm and sliced up. The hollow cried as black blood rained onto the ground, but the cry was cut short when Ichigo delivered a clean swipe through the hollow's neck.

When the second hollow fell in a heap of dead flesh, the third hollow appeared behind it and went to attack. Ichigo already felt the spiritual pressure of the hollow, jumped back and thrust his sword outward and pierced the hollow's head through its mask and slashed outwards.

Ichigo stepped back and let the hollow drop and watched as its body evaporated. He viewed the specks of the hollow's once lost spirit float up and saw the sky being littered with the specks, the souls of the forgotten finally able to be free from their confinement.

"Where did she run off to?" Ichigo asked.

Renji shut his mouth at the display of Ichigo's quick kills and looked over at the direction where Rukia ran to. "The Mariposa's Estate, directly to the right, it was her mom's old–" Renji couldn't finish since Ichigo had already rushed off, sealing his sword back into its original form and placed it inside his holster.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ichigo sprinted to where Rukia escaped to, passing spiritual particles of departed hollows. The summer home was little more than a mile away but with Ichigo's lupine speed he arrived in about four minutes. He wasn't even breathing hard when he jumped up and over the tall green hedges. From what he sensed and smelled there weren't any hollows left.

All were defeated on the way here and if it wasn't for the need to get to Rukia, Ichigo would have let out a prideful smirk. It was his mate who defeated all these hollows. "Rukia!" Ichigo began to walk through the large garden. Calling her name and attempting to find her scent.

A stone pattern pathway with many floral and vines archway brought him to the center of the garden; on either side of him was a large fountain, marble somber women sat on top, a vase settled on their shoulders and water overflowing from within, delicate flowers decorated on the base of the fountain and the middle basin that was catching the water from above.

If continued straight down the path Ichigo noticed he would have entered more untamed parts of the garden. He scowled, wondering why there were so many flowers and scents when it came to Rukia, he didn't like having a difficult time picking out Rukia's scent.

There were too many damn rose bushes in the garden, blooming fruit trees, and patches of flowers edging the outer walls of the villa concealing Rukia's floral scent.

"Rukia!" He shouted again and finally decided to go and look for her in the house. He sped towards the double white wooden door but stopped when he heard a shuffle of feet behind him. He turned around, his lips already forming words but halted after he said her name.

What stood behind him was young man, still in his teens but there was something cynical about him. He wore a hat that had bandages wrapped around it, white jacket that showed his chest, and a hole on the center of his chest. He had square, shark-like teeth and bleached blond hair. "Hello, I'm Di Roy Rinker; you can call me D-Roy though. I'm here to capture and take Kuchiki Rukia back. You're in the way. Move or be killed."

Ichigo felt his vein throb and his temper rise, "Little piece of shit." Ichigo growled, his mind began to be clouded by his anger, "Then go on and try to kill me, _D-Roy_ because if you think I'm going to let you get even close to Rukia, you're fucking dead wrong!"

"Watch your tongue, mutt." D-Roy scowled, "I'm the last student of Grimmjow, do not take me lightly!" He grabbed his sword hilted on his hip and was about to attack when his feet got frozen onto the floor. "What?"

"You should not take me lightly, either." The young Espada-in-training looked behind him and scowled. With a bored expression on her face, Rukia tilted her head up a bit; bringing the classic "Kuchiki" façade on her face. "Word of advice," Her lips smoothly went into a smile, "Do not assume you are alone and talk aloud of your plans and allies when you are in someone else's home, especially your enemy's."

D-Roy paled. Moments before the orange haired mutt arrived D-Roy was looking for this woman. When he searched the garden and couldn't find her, he was going to move indoors. Being a boastful and confident person that he was, he began to talk and blab out most of the Espadas' intention and plans.

In other words, he leaked plenty of information that Grimmjow would kill him like he did with his other students. But to not admit the claims the woman stated D-Roy cried out, "You must be Kuchiki Rukia!"

"You do not sound impressed."

The ice at D-Roy's feet began to crawl upwards. Catching sight of this, he broke free and flew up, allowing himself the comfort of a gravity platform. "Of course not! The rest of the Espada speak so well of you: powerful, strong, a great force to be reckoned with. But you're nothing more than a weakling and a pretty face. Your cute little attack didn't even cause me harm!" He gave her a haughty smile, his eyes condescending and senseless. "If you want to kill me, it has to be up in the air!"

The nymph placed both hands on her hips as she looked to the ground. A large circle was under D-Roy, it gave a cool breeze and glowed a pure white. "It is arrogance that is the downfall to stupid men." In her left hand, she opened her palm and let her necklace fall and dangle from her fingers. "_Some no mai, Tsukishiro_," She said to herself, a white mist leaving her lips as she looked up and called out the command in English, "First Dance: White Moon"

A gleam of light from the floor where the white circle lay shot up and touched the heavens. Rukia watched with impassive eyes as D-Roy, too slow to escape the attack, ended up in the center of the attack.

Frozen and eyes filled with terror.

Slowly, a crack appeared and then another. The white column produced five clean and swift cuts and shattered, killing D-Roy in the process. The ice evaporated into the air, snowflakes surrounded them and Ichigo felt a cold blast, not uncomfortable but familiar.

The cold air was strange but in the midst of it were threads of Rukia's reiatsu. The attack she did was amazing but as he stared at her she was looking up, her eyes distance and unaware of his presence.

He was at awe of the power she demonstrated, "That was amazing, Rukia…" His voice died out as he saw her tilt her head to the side and caught his gaze, their eyes connecting and warmth washed over him. She didn't jump on her name, looked surprised or anything. So much emotion rushed inside of him that he felt his knees buckled and his heart beat was loud in his ears.

She wore a simple dress, the hems stopping above her knees; beige color with five small red blossoms interweaved at the base, a sheer lace over the silk. Her hair was still long as always, loose and curling outwards at the tips. It stopped at her waist and she still had that stubborn lock of hair on her face. Cream white plastic string heels wrapped around her ankles, her necklace still thread between her fingers, and he frowned when he saw some white ink on her inner wrist and on top of her ankles.

And the anger he felt, months of worrying and tension of not knowing slipped off of him. He felt relieved and every fiber of his being, every single atom told him to run to her, grab her and become soothed by her scent. Feel her body pressed up against his and never let her go.

She was unreadable, her eyes lifeless and hollow. He gulped loudly and she awoke from her daze. Like a flash of lightning, like her earlier sudden attack, her eyes gained a mischievous twinkle and life flushed back into her. Her lips edged into a smirk and the sudden notion shot electricity through him.

She eyed him with ease and turned. With her back now facing him she sauntered off, strolling further into the untamed part of the garden but not before she threw him a look over her shoulder. Ichigo didn't miss a beat and followed her, shouting her name, yelling her to stop.

At first he thought he could easily catch up to her but once entering the garden it came to life. He felt a rush of magic and looked behind him. The place where he entered became blocked off by a wall of leaves. He scowled and decided: once he caught up to Rukia he was going to tell her that they weren't ever going inside a maze ever again.

"Hate mazes, worthless pieces of fucking bushes, I swear."

Ichigo shook his head and continued down the new path set before him. He went straight for a few paces and then left since there was no other opening. Losing sight of her already made him frustrated when her scent didn't leave a trail for him. He cursed and looked down the current pathways presented to him.

A left.

A right.

It was at the end of the right Rukia waited for him, one hand perched on her hip the other tapping her thigh. She still kept silent and moved once again. This went on for more than ten minutes, her disappearing and reappearing. Her sweet scent, orchids and roses, would linger but never led him to her.

He was positive he was already lost but Rukia gave the impression of being so ever confident that he didn't dare question where he was being led to.

Many times he inquired how she was moving so rapidly when he was faster than her. The issue was answered when he caught sight of her molding into the tall hedges, skin becoming leaves and vines, hair sprouted buds and flowers in her wake. She even gave him a superior grin when he faltered.

It was near the end that he lost sight of her again and it was her scent currently leading him to wherever she was at. He entered what he suspected to be the center of the maze, a large area that completely spelled out "mystical garden." Circular in shape, there was only one structure, a marble gazebo with a carved out metal roof that had different patterns and shapes knitted and allowed sun light to stream through its gaps and spaces.

It stood on six pillars, marble vines mingled with real ones, curved benches that followed the border of the gazebo except for the entrance. And a single lantern hung from the middle, low enough that he could reach it but high enough that Rukia would need a stool.

In the structure, standing further away from him stood Rukia. She was facing away, again. "Rukia…" She acknowledged him, even turned to meet his eyes, "Why did you bring me here?" Ah, that feeling was back.

"I wanted to talk to you, alone I mean."

The word "alone" echoed for him and he had to pause to regain composure. So, with a small chuckle he tried to calm himself down and continued his conversation with her. "Weren't we…alone back there?"

"Yes, but I needed to make sure. I am going to tell you something important and I cannot have others hear."

"They could've followed us, you know." He played along, knowing with his lupine's senses that there was no one around them at all. And at the same time he wanted to damn his lupine senses. She was so close, he could already feel her under his touch and tongue, her scent was coiling around him.

"That is where you are wrong and quite inexperience when it comes to magic," She glanced to both her sides and looked pointedly at him, "You do know that the only way to enter this area is with magic and being with someone that has the blood of a nymph, Ichigo." Rukia stopped and looked at Ichigo carefully; confused as his cheeks stained red and his hands on his sides became fists.

She thought over what she said and wondered if it was because she said his name, with a smirk she decided to tease the wolf. "I am ever so sorry. Did I say something that made you uncomfortable?" He caught sight of her eyes, seeing the glimmer of delight in them, "Do I need to leave you alone so you can…compose yourself?"

"I'm fine." He grunted, "Just…tell me why you brought me here."

Her smile diminished and her shoulders ebbed down but her stance was still straight and proud. "On my eighth birthday, my mother and I were momentarily captured by two men. I was given a gun and told to kill my mother." She spoke in a calm tone, voice unfaltering, "I ignored the man and looked at my mother. The same man then told my mother if I do not do what he said, he would kill me.

"He scared my mother and her love for me, her wanting me to survive; she told me if I did not shoot her, she will hate me forever." Ichigo watched her, tried not to make any sudden movements that would frighten her, treating her like a startled deer.

"I killed my mother." Her eyes softened, tears of regret seeped in her lower eyelids but she kept them at bay and didn't shrink away from him. However, that still didn't stop her from wanting to fall to her knees and cry, never once did she admit out loud, not since she told her father all those years ago. She killed her mother. And she hated it. She knew why her mother told her to shoot and yet she wished there was another way.

Another way where both could have survived…but that wasn't the case.

She focused back to Ichigo and gave a small smile. He was pale and was struggling to say something, do something to comfort her but he stood there because he knew she wasn't finished. "In the summer of my fifteenth year, I had a teacher who was teaching me the ways of being a high priestess.

"His name was Kaien Shiba and I loved him, he was an older brother figure, a friend that I needed after many years of being a perfect councilor's daughter. He had a wife, Miyako, who acted like my older sister, and a daughter, Senna, who became my partner in crime."

Rukia chuckled and he saw memories being washed over her, "Such good friends but we both were too mischievous together. A bad combination we were. I cannot even count how many times we were scolded for the trouble we got ourselves in, and poor Renji always stuck in the middle of our antics. Then, one night at the Shiba's estate, all those summer dreams and hope died. A hollow came and took over Senna's body, mind, and soul."

"It was only Senna, Miyako and I. We were alone. The rest of the family went to get groceries for dinner. She came through the back door leading to the kitchen and attacked Miyako. Like me, Senna was a witch," Rukia placed her hand on the column she was close to as support. "I blocked the attack, screamed at her to stop. However, with her body fused with the hollow she launched another attack. Her arm morphed into a large limb and stabbed me in the shoulder.

"Miyako came down from her shock and sent a paralyzing spell at Senna. I told her we needed to run, run away and think of something because having Senna on the floor, cursing and eyes black, we would not be able to think properly. So, we ran. Into the woods, heading here…" Rukia finally broke eye contact with Ichigo, feeling the pressure of everything coming down on her.

She was breathing slowly, trembling slightly but not wanting to show it. She needed to tell him, she needed to tell him so she can finally tell him what was on her mind ever since their first kiss. "We did not make it here; almost half-way, Senna broke free from the spell and caught up to us. It had to be that moment, when Senna killed Miyako, which Kaien showed up.

"Pale and seeing the world destroying in front of his eyes he screamed in anguish. I think it was that cry that caused Senna to become conscious, for a moment. She saw what she had done, what the hollow made her do. She was begging for help, begging her father, begging me." Rukia stared at the hand on her side and looked back at him. "I ran away because I was scared. Like a coward, I ran and ran and ran. Not here, not back to the Shiba's estate, just ran into the woods.

"I do not know how long I was running, where, I just needed to run. When I finally stopped, it was already night, I could not see what's in front of me and I dropped my wand when Kaien found me. I remember looking forward and saw a large tree a few paces in front of me. Having nothing to do, not knowing what to do, I went towards it.

"This tree was grown over a structure, a large hole, where wooden stairs were carved and curved down on the interior of the circular wall. I followed the stairs down; there were weird engravings everywhere which I did not understand at the time. The tree's roots were large and like fingers, they were gripping the floor and wall. When I reached the bottom, at the base of the roots, almost similar to where the tree itself first began to grow and strive, I found my locket." The hand on her side went and held up the locket, the pocket watch that ticked away.

"When I got it off the branch, I heard a whisper. 'Time will not stop, not even for you.' Kaien then showed up, he was now possessed by the hollow and attacked me. I had nothing on me and I accepted I was going to die. However, a light from inside of me made me realize I was not ready to die. I did not want to die.

"With that light, this necklace became my katana and I killed Kaien. Kaien who was killed by Senna, Senna who killed her mother." A tear fell from her eye and another, two more followed but she wiped them away and gave another smile. To comfort him, to comfort herself, she wasn't sure but she needed to give a smile just for the sake of hope. "I lost the family I craved since my mother's death and I didn't know how to tell Ganju and Kūkaku.

"Why I am telling you this is because…when my mother died I was diagnosed with asthma and my body began to weaken, when my mentor and his wife and daughter died, I was diagnosed with Kleine-Levin syndrome and I started to cough up blood. When Unohana died, I became weaker and started to realize what's going to happen to me. These traumatic events in my life caused my health to deteriorate. I even almost lost Rangiku because I took her with me."

"What are you trying to say, Rukia?" His own throat felt raw when he spoke. Listening to everything she said, what she had been through and why she was detached to the world, it made sense and yet he didn't want to believe it. He knew the pain of losing someone close, like her, he lost his mother, but she then lost her mentor, the woman who was like her sister, and her close friend. "None of it is your fault, Rukia!"

Rukia gave a large smile that didn't reach her eyes. "That is where you are wrong, Ichigo. It is my fault because I am the holder of the orb." Ichigo's eyes widened and he remembered her sketch, the sketch that Yoruichi and Urahara didn't want to tell him about. "The Hōgyoku, the Espada want it, no one is safe around me yet, I cannot be left alone because I am not strong enough to defend myself if someone strong like Grimmjow comes after me."

"Rukia…" Her eyes dropped at the sound of her name and she shrank back.

"I am telling you this because even after knowing all of this, knowing that it was my fault they were killed, I…" She was silent and tried to regain some control over her emotions but it was so hard. It felt they were trying to escape from her pores, her being and scream into the air. She wanted to bawl, wanted to curse and break things. Run to Ichigo and hug him, express everything she kept hidden.

She wanted to lose her composure and yet at the same time she didn't. "I heard you have a mate." A small flicker of pleasure filled her when she saw him tense, "Even after all I went through, knowing the chances I am taking feelings like this, I still hope." Her arms itched to wrap themselves around her torso, and her knees felt weak.

Rukia felt cold but when she looked at Ichigo, she saw his eyes connecting with hers. She saw his concern, his own need and want. They were burning hot, scorching and tears were reawakened. She was scared and nervous but still hopeful. An ache inside of her that hurt so much, spread over her like hot water, ever since that kiss. She felt as if she was dying little by little because of her secret.

"Rukia." He called out to her, hoping she would stop fading away from him.

Her name coming from him, the way he said it, the rough but still tender voice slid over her. It was a tease, a tease that she craved even if she knew it would one day end her. Was she trembling because she was cold or because she was scared? Were tears leaving her eyes or was her soul weeping?

Why did she have to meet him?

They could have gone their entire life without knowing each other. "Rukia," Ichigo even knowing his mate was in pain couldn't help but feel warmth and happiness course through him. He needed to tell her she was his mate, she was the one he was meant to be with and that it didn't matter what would happen, he would protect her, love her. "Listen to me, my mate is–."

"No." She was still trembling but she gain enough confidence, "No, you listen to me, Kurosaki Ichigo! I have always secured control over my life; rarely do I lose control or composure! Everything would have gone perfectly if I had never met you. I would not have been so confused and hurt, feel idiotic and… even if I try to forget you, I cannot, it is like you are in my blood; I see you everywhere."

What was she doing? Confessing to him? Well yes, but she realized it wasn't the confession that scared her, but the reply she might get. What if she wasn't his mate, that it was someone else? Someone who wouldn't drag him down a dangerous path because of her destiny, a destiny that she despised and wished would vanish. "The last kiss we shared robbed me of any senses."

Maybe she was dreaming, still in the Shiba's estate, in the old guest bedroom she used to sleep in whenever she visited. Dreaming forever, never to awake, the world's problem behind her and she would be free.

Her heart was stuck in her throat, but she still choked out what she wanted to tell him. "I want to be your mate but I am scared of what would happen if I am. I am scared what would happen to us, to you…" She almost collapsed if it hadn't been for the column she was holding on to and gradually sat down on the low bench of the marble gazebo.

"I do not want anything to happen to you, Ichigo."

Silence fell on them, but it hardly lasted. Rukia felt arms wrap around her waist, felt his face pressed against the crook of her neck. Her own arms draped around his neck and pressed herself closer to him.

"Kuchiki Rukia," His breathe brushed her eyes, "you're my mate and I promise you I'll save you. We'll solve this, you're going to live and so am I. We'll grow old together, Rukia." He cupped her face, forced her to look at him, "Believe me, Rukia." Her forehead met his, she felt so happy but fear also overwhelmed her. It washed over her like the tides roaring from the sea. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't believe him.

* * *

**A/n: Tada, it ****finally**** happened. They're "together" in a sense. Also, I realized many of you like to ask questions. So, I have a suggestion to all of my reviewers: if you have any question you want an answer for (corresponding to my fic like why did Rukia give half her soul to pay for Ichigo's blessed water?) then ask them. I will then choose two of them to answer in the next chapter by having my husband pick a number between 1-number of questions I get. How's that? **

**Oh, and thank you to all for congratulating me on my wedding. **


	21. Chapter 20

**A/n: Well, here is chapter 20, I hope you all will enjoy this chapter, it's about 20 pages long. **

**Ah, and a very important reminder to everyone: if you don't like my fic, then don't read. Why read something you don't like unless you really do like it and for some reason hate the author. :/ I mean, if the fic is really bad, then why read and then flame? Is there nothing more important in your life that you have to make others feel bad? And this does not just go towards my fic but for other fanfics that have been flamed for no good reasons. **

**There is a difference between helpful criticism and just being a bitch. **

**I know my fic is not that great, and it while I do want to become a writer, I'm using this fanfic as a learning experience. **

**Which I believe counts for most fanfic writers on FF. **

**So, that's just my input. **

**Anyways, once again, enjoy and thank you everyone who support my fic. Thank you, lime warning and enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter 20**_

_**Humility**_

"_Are you going to do as I say or are you going to go against me?"_

_Nel Tu brushed her long green hair aside, a frown marring her lips as she stared at the man she offered her heart to. "I thought you were going to kill me the next time you see me, Nnoitra."_

_He said nothing and attacked. Swipes of blades meeting, punches and kicks avoided, glares exchanged while both knew they did not want to fight. _

_They were created by the same man. They were once lost, mindless creatures of self-indulgence, until he came. Saved them and gave them a real life; a real purpose. _

_Their purpose of recreating a new world for their kind. A world where they did not have to hide and be destroyed. Their lives still able to continue even after death, even after losing their way. _

_This was their purpose, their life, their reason. _

_Now, one of their own strayed from this purpose. Nel strayed away and he hated it. He hated it because not only was she throwing away a better future, but their future as well. "Is _this_ all truly for _them_?" Nnoitra asked, frustrated the more they fought. A thrust, a dodge, and another thrust, Nel got scratched, "Nel!"_

_She kept quiet, not wanting to answer. It killed her deep inside. As they fought, strikes like fire sparked between their blades, as beautiful as it was. It was killing her. _

_She looked up at him. Nnoitra, angry and ugly as he was, he was still the man she cared for more than anything. _

_She loved him. _

_Loved him so dearly and if it wasn't for her knowing what kind of future the Espada were trying to bring, she would still be by his side. _

_If she stayed by his side, their purpose would be fulfilled, but their happiness would die. _

_If she fought against them, the Espada's purpose will be difficult and their happiness would still die. _

_Either way "we aren't met for each other in this life time."_

"_What did you say Nel!" Nnoitra yelled._

"_Yes." Nel pushed against Nnoitra's sword and sent a cero blast, "I said 'yes'! I won't allow you to continue killing! This is not the future that is meant to happen! Our purpose will bring no happiness to us!" Nel shifted herself to the side and sent her foot to Nnoitra's side. He dodged and sent his own attack. _

"_You speak nonsense!"_

"_I speak the truth!"_

_The ground under them crumbled and exploded. Debris of earth flew in every sort of direction; energy flow increased and caused windows from shops to break, trash cans and plants to be uprooted. The dead of night gained life as Nel and Nnoitra continued to fight. _

"_Why are you against me, Nel!"_

"_Because you can't see the humility we are destroying with our actions!" _

_The rage he felt became more of frustration that he had towards her. "Nel!" He attacked again and his gut clenched when he saw she didn't dodge. His sword plunged into her stomach, shifted and full of ease, almost like stabbing a piece of jell-o. _

_Nel smiled at him. _

_His eyes widened._

"_Can you see it, now?" She asked and walked into his blade further more. Her eyes hazed and thick amount of blood left her wound. "Where is our happiness?"_

"_What are you doing!" He tried to let his sword go and tried to pull it free, but her grip on his handle did not allow him to move and he dare not to force her. "Nel!"_

"_I will always love you."_

"_Nel!" _

"_I'm sorry." She cried out and as she stared into his eyes, she saw his love but knew this was their end. Her mouth sill agape, her cero started to produced and after he realized what she was doing, it was too late. The cero annihilated him and then her. _

_Her final thought still lingered in the destroyed street._

"Let's meet in another life and start over, Nnoitra._"_

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Rukia!" Renji's loud exclamation brought the attention of Ishida and both remaining Shibas. Walking towards them, Ichigo and Rukia walked side by side, not touching, standing close to each other like they had always done. Both were quiet nevertheless there was an undertone of something blissful between the two.

"Where have you been? Are you alright?" Renji jogged up to them while Ishida walked and a woman was following him. She was shorter than him, wearing a red halter top and white shorts, and what were more notable were her prosthetic right arm and the tattoo on her left arm. She had long black hair, spiky bangs but had bandages around the top of her head.

The other man, far in the distance, raised his left hand and gave a nod before he went inside the villa. Rukia gave a slight nod and went to answer Renji, "I am fine and I was at my mother's old home with Ichigo. It takes a while to walk there to here, you know."

"Rukia-san, is there anything you–" Ishida was cut off when the woman behind him passed him and punched Rukia in the nose. The werewolf, the red haired man, and the elf were shocked. It was Ichigo who was the first to react when he saw blood dripping from Rukia's nose.

"What the fuck!" Ichigo grew angry but was thrown back when the woman punched him too, giving him a bloody nose as well.

"Shut it, Mutt!" Kūkaku Shiba barked in English, her Spanish accent only sprinkled over her words. She then turned her scorn at Rukia who was nursing her bleeding nose and had her eyes watering at the erupted pain. "And you…what do you think you were doing!"

"I was–"

"No! You weren't thinking! I've been waiting for the right moment to yell at you and the only reason I haven't was because Renji kept defending you, saying you 'need time.' Hell with it, because I think now is the perfect time! Tell me, what was going through your little, naive, stupid mind to leave Japan and travel the world with your condition! People, no, excuse me, Espada are trying to kill you…capture you! Why were you bleeding when I found you?" Her prosthetic hand clamped down on her waist and her real hand slammed down on Rukia's head and brought the confused nymph closer. "Were you raped, Rukia? And if you were, do you know who?"

Ichigo became silent rapidly, his eyes focused onto Rukia. He stepped up and would have grabbed Rukia if it hadn't been for Kūkaku's glare.

"Rukia," Kūkaku turned Rukia's face back to her own and asked again, "were you raped?"

The silence that fell was bottomless. Everyone turned their attention to Rukia and she felt all of their eyes stabbing into her. But the one she felt more besides the heated gaze of Kūkaku was Ichigo's.

Rukia then reeled back, "Oh please, like I will let anyone take advantage of me. I deserve better than that."

"But those bruises–"

"I was about to be raped–"

"Where was this, Rukia?" Ichigo took Rukia away from Kūkaku's hold and stared into her eyes, "Because I swear I'll find the fucker and kill him."

"You cannot."

"Why?"

"I already killed the Espada before he–"

"You were going to get raped by an Espada!" All four roared, shocked.

"Yes."

"Which one, Rukia-san?"

She frowned and shook her head, "Aaroniero."

Anger surged inside of Ichigo and he fought the urge to punch someone. However before he could say something Kūkaku exploded, "That's the reason why it was stupid of you to run off like that! You got hurt, almost got raped and probably die if it wasn't for Kon who went looking for me." She turned to Renji and glowered at him, "And you already know I feel about you leaving her all alone!"

Kūkaku let go of Rukia's head and stepped back, almost trying to regain some control over her temper but soon decided she'd gain control later, after she finished yelling. "You woke up three hours ago and went off with those hollows chasing you! And look at you!" Kūkaku whipped her left hand out, gesturing at Rukia's body. "You're skin and bones with no fat on you! When I found you, you were nothing but bones! If it weren't for me and Ganju force feeding you, you'd have probably died of starvation! You are thoughtless! Reckless!" Kūkaku dug into the pocket of her shorts and took out a handkerchief and throw it at Rukia. The poor girl clumsily caught the white cloth and began to dab it on her nose.

Kūkaku then grabbed Rukia by her arm and dragged her inside the house, "Now listen to me, I spent the last two hours ordering Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko to cook a feast for you! You're going to eat until you throw up and gain twenty pounds!" Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko were the Shibas' servants for more than three years, both twins and are incredibly tall with tiny little Mohawks on their heads.

"But I do not want–" Rukia immediately stopped when Kūkaku turned and glared at her.

"Are you trying to disobey my orders?"

Rukia gaped and looked at Ishida for help, but the elf shrugged his shoulders and gave a smirk at her. Renji simply looked at another direction and whistled a random tune. "Of course not!" Rukia gave a force smile, "I was just saying, 'I do not want to gain twenty pounds but thirty!'"

Kūkaku nodded her head in approval and would have gone on if she hadn't noticed Ichigo glaring at her from behind. "Who are you?"

Ichigo growled at her and tried to keep his anger in check but it was bubbling out of him, "How about asking _that _first before you punch me, you old hag! But besides that, I don't appreciate you punching my mate even more!"

The woman stared at him, long and completely uninterested before she turned back to face Rukia then Ishida and finally Renji. "So, this is the idiot mate you told me about, Renji?"

"Don't speak about me when I'm right in front of you!"

Kūkaku rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Rukia, just because he claims he's your mate doesn't mean you have to be with him. I know plenty of manlier men than him who don't cry and bitch that would be _perfect _for you."

"What?" Ichigo hands twitched and Rukia saw the vein on his forehead throbbing.

"With controlled tempers."

"Now, you listen to me–"

The index finger that Ichigo had pointed at Kūkaku was slapped away by the woman who, at that moment, made him feel like child again. "You listen to me, mongrel. I've known Rukia since she was ten and I've been with her every summer since then. And you think you have the right to come up and claim her as your mate! Because if you are, then you are trying to create a war with me, and a word of advice, you are messing with the wrong woman."

"I am starving! Are you two starving?" Rukia proclaimed loudly and asked both Ishida and Renji, "What did Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko made for me?"

"Ah! That's right." Kūkaku began to lead Rukia into the house, listing off dishes after dishes of the food Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko made. Rukia glanced back at Ichigo; her nose already stopped bleeding, and gave him a little smile as she followed the head of the Shiba's estate.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I don't think I ever saw you eat that much, Rukia." Ganju, younger brother of Kūkaku, said as he gave Rukia a glass of water and two pills for her stomach. "Surprised that you didn't throw up, yet."

Everyone except for Kūkaku, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko were in the lower lobby of the Shiba's Estate. Rukia was lying face down on a red lounge chair, her legs pressing loosely against her body, and one arm wrapped around her stomach while the other held the water that was just handed to her.

Ishida was leaning against a wall, staying quiet, waiting. Renji sat on the sofa across from Rukia, legs apart, hands cupped together and a grown frown on his face. Ichigo was sitting backwards on a wooden chair facing Rukia with eyes blazing and had an edge of hunger inside of them.

"Exactly," Rukia grumbled from where she sat, "I have not thrown up, 'yet.'"

Ganju patted Rukia shoulder and gave a grin, "If you do throw up, aim for the trash can, alright?" The man was large. Hook nose, black messy hair, but kind with impish eyes, easy to get along with. He waved at Ishida, Renji, and Ichigo, "See you tomorrow morning, then."

They bid each other good night and watched Ganju leave. Ichigo's eyes, before even Ganju left the room, were attached to Rukia's form again. He lit a cigarette despite Ishida and Rukia's frown. Ishida and Renji both had the patience to wait until Ganju was out of the room to focus their attention on Rukia.

The tension that was kept hidden throughout dinner leaked out and became a thick fog around them. Ishida pushed himself off the wall and pushed his glasses up, "Want to explain?"

Rukia shifted onto her back and sat up, back straight and eyes sharp, she was back in her element. "Not particularly, but I am guessing I have no say in this matter, do I? Well then, what would every one of you want me to explain?"

"Why did you leave, Rukia-san?" From the expression on Rukia's face, Ishida sighed and shook his head. Of course she wouldn't answer that, he should've known better. "Fine, then tell me, what have you discovered?"

The young nymph reached behind her and pulled out a small red bag, she opened it and placed what was inside the bag onto the coffee table in front of her. "The Talisman of Um and the Keys of Cross." All three men gave her a blank look, "Well? You asked what I discovered and this is it. Oh, and another letter, leading me to the next item I must retrieve."

"Why?" Ichigo piped up, "Why do you have to find of all these…things?"

"It will lead me to The Lake; all three talismans and the keys, I need them to move forward."

"From what, Rukia?" Ichigo gripped his seat, already sounding impatient but he couldn't help it. For more than two months he wanted to know and not a single soul would tell him. But now, when Rukia seemed willing to tell him everything, he felt scared.

The truth.

What would it do to him, to her, to them?

"With the plans of cleansing the earth," She got up from her seat and moved to the window, hiding a scowl when all three men tensed up. They thought she was going to escape. Rukia touched the curtains and moved them out of her way. Beyond the window, the night was calm, silent and cool.

Utterly alone.

"These items are things I need to collect. The Talisman of Um is the symbol of spirit, the Keys to open the gateway between earth and heaven." She glanced back and gave a look saying she wasn't going to tell them the whole detail of what her "plan" was, but she decided to throw them a bone. "The drawings I drew, they are all places I need to go. I do not know how many items I am going to retrieve but I need to get them before any of the Espada does."

As he listened, he already knew she was keeping something from them, and he wanted to know. He wanted her to tell him everything; he didn't want to be in the dark anymore. The wolf pushed himself up and stood tall, hands in his pockets. "What is the 'Glass Orb', Rukia?"

She looked surprised that he knew, but that expression didn't last for a second. It melted off quickly, as if it was scorched off, and she perked a brow at him. "How do you know of the 'Orb', Ichigo?"

"Don't worry about it." He threw his cigarette away and lit another.

Ishida and Renji looked confused and would have said something if Ichigo and Rukia didn't forget about them. The mated couple was so focus on each other they forgot the elf and the human, their surrounding vanished, and they could only see, hear, and felt each other.

The heat that Ichigo naturally produced enveloped her, rushing over her as her scent did with him. It was a trance. The colors around them diminished but the colors on them flourished and brightened. Staring at each other, blue eyes meeting hazel's, it was a portal.

A portal that would emerge and they would evaporate. All that mattered were them, even if for a moment, it was something they both could call their own and no one else's.

This always happened before Rukia left, but now, with the truth out and exposed, this sensation between them was stronger. Both could feel the other's hands on their bodies, the breath of a whisper on their skin, their heart beating rapidly against one another. First, separate until they touched and synchronized.

He opened her heart.

She calmed his soul.

Both using the warmth they felt for one another, the love that seemed impossible yet they both have in their heart for the other to feel.

It was exciting.

It was blissful.

It was frightening.

It was welcoming.

Their gaze broke when Rukia blinked and turned her head to the side. Everything slowly trickled back: their setting, the other two males, and the reason why they were standing there.

"The 'Glass Orb' is actually called the Hōgyoku," She began, "Meaning, 'The Crumbling Orb' but do not let the name deceive you. This orb holds much more power than that, for it also creates."

"What does that have to do with you, Rukia?" Renji asked, frustrated that he had no idea what they were talking about, and he noticed that the elf wasn't too happy about being kept in the dark either.

"Everything. The reason why I am hiding, the reason why the Espada want me, and the reason why the Council tries to protect me is because of this orb." She paused and a flash of something passed over her, "This orb picks it host, for it must live and thrive as we do and I happened to be its host.

"The Hōgyoku," She glanced over her audience, taking in their silence and the concentrated air they had, "has the power to give man an opportunity to dethrone God and become God himself."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The "interview" that Ishida and Renji wanted to give Rukia was cut short. She answered all of their questions the best she could, telling them as much information as she could. It was when Ichigo got fed up with all the questions that he barked at Ishida and Renji to leave Rukia alone.

He offered to walk Rukia to her room, but the young woman smirked and raised a winged brow at him. "I rather prefer knowing that you do not know where I sleep at night, Ichigo." She then bid all of them goodnight, and left a flushed werewolf with the other two male laughing at him.

She was being mean, she knew it but it was terrifyingly easy to tease the poor wolf.

It was already past one now; crickets chirped from outside her window, there was a low breeze sweeping into her room from the balcony. Kon was asleep at the base of her bed, facing the door. Ready to pounce and protect her from Ichigo in case he followed her to her room. It seemed right away that Kon didn't like Ichigo one bit, and the lion cub's throat was sore after all the growling he did at Ichigo during dinner.

Kūkaku was entirely supporting Kon's over protectiveness, even joining in on the cub's name calling towards the werewolf. It wasn't until Rukia had to be the adult and make Kūkaku and Kon stop their child-like behavior since Ichigo's face was twisted with annoyance and anger.

Rukia gave a chuckle before she tossed and sighed, not being able to sleep. How could she after being asleep for about three weeks? The nymph then decided to get up and take a walk.

Maybe that would help her fall asleep.

Cautiously she slipped out of bed and not wanting to wake the cub up, she walked out of her room with no slippers on to limit the amount of noise she would make. Even with the cool night, Rukia didn't bother to get a sweater or a jacket, only venturing out with her baby blue tank top and matching boxer shorts. She poked her head out of her door, listened and watched for any signs of life.

She counted to ten and when she was assured no one was out in the halls, she sneaked her way out of her room and went down the hall. Even at night, the Spanish tile floors under her feet, the warm colors of the walls, tasteful furniture; it all brought her back to days when she was a student under Kaien and Miyako.

Rukia reached the backdoor, pushed it open and walked out to the ruined backyard. While not everything was destroyed, Rukia still felt guilty. It all could be fixed, she knew that, but it was a reminder that being with her will cause destruction towards others.

If she wasn't here, this wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't have caused Kūkaku and Ganju so much trouble.

Rukia strolled astray, humming slightly as she surveyed the damage. She stopped when she saw a rose bush at the corner of her eye, frowned at the forlorn piece of wooden fence lying on top of it. Not thinking much, she went and removed the chunk of wood, and then began to tend to the roses.

She used a spell on them that healed the injured roses and she cut the dead ones off its stem, readying it for future buds. She kissed one rose and got up to continue her walk. Gradually, she left the Shiba's garden and walked across the field to her mother's estate: Mariposa.

She climbed over the wall of green leaves and jumped down, seeing everything as it should be. Nothing was out of place. Her bare feet already scraped and slash, leaving a trail of blood behind her but she barely felt it.

The moon was high in the sky as she walked to the center of the garden and glanced towards the house, the double doors succeeding into tempting her. The brass door knob already in her hands and she pushed it open. A thin layer of dust fell and Rukia was transported back into her childhood years.

She saw memories of her running in the house, her mother helping in the kitchen with maids and cooks, her father's defeated smile as both wife and daughter disobeyed his orders, once again.

Then, years passed and she grew, past the year she killed her mother, the house still slightly active but not as bright when her mother was alive. Her father stopped joining her in these summer retreats when her mother died, but the staff was still joyful whenever she came around. Like her mother, she helped with cooking and tending the garden, cleaning and reading to the workers' children.

It was an escape from the duties she had towards her father and she had the ability to visit the Shiba's. Here, she could enjoy herself, throw all problems away and her life becomes easy.

She strolled through the house, up the stairs and through whatever room she passed. It wasn't long before she arrived at the large open veranda. The pearl tile under her feet, the arched wide windows, vines and branches interwoven with the columns. Rukia smiled at the stars and welcomed the night breeze.

Rukia's body uncoiled and descended unto the floor. She sat there, staring through the windows; not a particular thought of anything and yet thoughts filled her. How long she had sat there she didn't know but she turned when she heard the sound of running from behind.

It sounded almost like an animal and she would have thought it was Kon haven't it been for the rush of warmth that rushed over her which he only provided.

He wasn't trying to be discreet, heavens no. Ichigo landed with a loud stomp and snorted at her. Clearly upset at something she did, whether it was her leaving the villa to go on a walk or her being nearly undress in the cool night.

It could go either way.

Ichigo was in his wolf form, large and looming, even menacing had she not known that underneath that fur and wolf appearance was her mate. She sat up, having been lying down before he came, and fixed her clothing since there was no telling what he would do now since they were alone.

"What have I done now?" Rukia pushed her hair out of her face and waited for him to move, a slight frown on her face to cover up the embarrassment of her admitting he was her mate. The thought made her heart flutter and cheeks blush, and she didn't want the creepy smile Ichigo usually has on his face on hers.

She decided to keep moving but halted when Ichigo crossed her path, huffed and gave a small growl. "What?" She placed her hands on her hips, "Am I not allow to move about, now?"

The wolf, with his golden eyes watched and circled around her. She tried to move again and he once more blocked her. "Ichigo," She said firmly, a frown on her face, "What is it?"

He crept closer to her, his black fur brushed against her skin and he nuzzled his head against her hand. Rukia smoothly began to scratch behind Ichigo's ear. He was hot to the touch and was breathing a bit heavier, she wondered if Ichigo was searching for her for some time now.

She asked why he hadn't changed back yet and he answered with being much warmer in this form than in his human one. Rukia accepted the answer and began to enjoy herself with petting him, sitting down to pet him better.

His thick fur between her fingers, she rubbed and kneaded Ichigo into a stupor. She even went as far to kiss the wolf's forehead. That small little kiss sent shocks through the both of them and that kiss made Ichigo change his mind very quickly about staying in his wolf's form.

Rukia felt the shift of atmosphere around them, the peacefulness morphed into a heavy need and Ichigo launched himself on top of her. He was gently enough that she wouldn't get hurt, but strong enough that he pinned her down and licked the side of her neck. He then changed. Bones moving and melting, body swelled and became enlarged.

Rukia didn't have the chance to move away when an arm captured her and a hand clamped down on her hip. Their position, the situation itself brought her back to the first time they met. On top of the roof, Ichigo just transforming back to human form and she felt her face flush.

"Ichigo!" She glared at him, trying to ignore the blush inking its way to her cheeks and she hoped he wouldn't notice. But he did and gave a grin when he went and kiss the side of her neck where he just licked her.

"This is the reason why I didn't want to change back, didn't want to frighten you."

"The only thing that frightens me is your impulsive nature," She hissed and made eye contact, not wanting to be scared away by him. He looked unfazed, a tad amused at her claim. "Are you not cold?" She asked, wanting to deter the current matter away from her.

"I'm a werewolf." He proclaimed proudly, "I conduct more heat than your average human male. Lucky for you, I have enough heat for the both of us."

"Now, I never said I was cold."

"Are you saying you want me to get off of you?"

"You always know what a girl wants."

They glared at each other and Ichigo wondered if he should. "You sure?"

"Positive."

He shrugged his shoulders and gave a large smirk, "As you wish." He got up and watched as Rukia swiftly turned and got up, her back facing him and he frowned. Where was the fun of that? Here he was, stark naked and she didn't look, much less glance at him. If she did, she would have blushed. He liked it when she blushed, she rarely does it and even more so in the public's eye.

"Why did you come here, Ichigo?" He kept silent and that was enough to tell her that he came to make sure she wouldn't leave again. She sighed but smiled, "I am not leaving, Ichigo. There is no point to leave since I already concluded my feelings." She took a glimpse back, her eyes teasing as they met his, "I am not confused over what I should do."

"So, you're not going to run away from me, again?"

"No, I only left because you were confusing me. I do admit, I was gone longer than I predicted, but that was because the choices were too hard to pick from: fight alone and get no one I care for involved, or fight with those I trust, let one inside my heart, and risk their lives to save me."

Under the moonlight, with her eyes soft and smile sincere, he was thankful for having such a strong mate, beautiful and mature and kind. And she was his. "Are…you going to stay with me…forever, then?" He asked, nervous as his palms began to sweat.

She was quiet, happy at his question but her smile didn't reach her eyes. She didn't want to lie to him, so she weaved around the true answer, "I will stay by your side as long as God permits me, Ichigo." That caused a lump in her throat.

If only he knew how much time that actually was.

There was the shock that passed through his spine every single time she said his name. He rubbed the back of his head and was suddenly glad that she was turned away from him, he had his "creepy" smile on his face right now.

While she said she wanted to be his mate and he told her she was, Rukia never actually accepted the role until now. She was going to be by his side for the rest of their lives.

Together.

His cheeks were already starting to hurt at how large his grin was and his hands fisted to control the eagerness of going to Rukia and grabbing the nymph. To sweep her off her feet, take her to an area where they won't be disturbed and official claim her as his mate.

To change direction of his mind, he cleared his throat and tried not to sound too excited. "H-how do you feel?" His voice was tender and soft, but still low and gruff.

"Fine," Her hand went up and smoothed her hair away from her back, showing that tender skin that he had been craving for.

If he didn't touch her right then, he knew he would jump her and fulfill his werewolf instinct. So, to surpass that need, Ichigo marched up to her, his chest not touching hers but his heat was firmly pressed up against her.

Hands gripped her shoulders, ambled their way down to her elbows and then her hands. Before, he thought she was small, but now, she felt tiny and fragile, easily broken if mishandled. She was so skinny, her cheeks hollow slightly, and her eyes appeared larger, bones slightly poked out of her.

He was sure if Kūkaku didn't force four plates of food down Rukia's throat, he would have. She looked sickly, skin progressed to a more pasty shade than her previous ivory shine, her vibrant colors faded over the weeks she was gone.

But God damn she was still beautiful in his eyes.

When they talked or stood near each other, there were sparks in her eyes, burning with mischief and curiosity. She relaxed when she was with him and he loved that. With all of his concern, he didn't want to let go of her again. He can't have her disappear again. He needed and wanted her in his life and he was determined that nothing was going to stop him.

The wolf inside of him already decided that they were going to have three to four kids, live in a nice neighborhood, have a nice roomy house, he was going to become _Alpha_ of his pack and she was going to be his _Luna_, the official title of the _Alpha_'s mate, and she could do whatever she wanted. As long as she was happy and slept in their bed every night, nothing else mattered.

His hands reached and caressed her inner wrist, his own curiosity ebbing away. "You never said anything about these tattoos, Rukia."

"Why do you care? As far as I am concerned, tattoos seem to be something up your alley." She gave a pointed look to his own large tattoo on his shoulder. He glanced to his shoulders and looked confused, sometimes he forgot he had a tattoo.

"Yes, but I told you how I got mine," His hands laced with hers, "how about you tell me how you got yours?"

"Mine?" She brought her hands up and curved her hands palm up, having the white tattoos bathed in the moon light. "I believe you once told me I smelled of roses and orchids, correct?" He nodded and kept silent as she continued, "Those two flowers are the symbol of the Priestess of the Hōgyoku: a rose for humanity and an orchid for ethereal. Binding the two different worlds into one being…I have been marked as its carrier."

"Does it pick its carrier randomly?"

"No." She said it quickly, almost angrily; there were prickles of bitterness in her voice. "The Priestess is always the same soul. I have been the Priestess of the Hōgyoku my past lives and my future reincarnations will be as well. It is a never ending cycle. Also the same as Weres and their mates, it is always the same soul every lifetime."

"You're not telling me something."

"You are acting as if it is something I never do." She pulled away to look at him and immediately regretted doing so. She scowled and blushed, tried to say something but instead huffed in annoyance and stalked away. "I swear, every time we are together, one of us end up naked!"

He barked a laugh, "It's your fault for looking. You already knew I was naked…or you're using that as an excuse to look at me." He heard her scoff. "It's alright if you want to look Rukia, we are, after all, mates. Soon or later, and I prefer sooner, we'll be seeing each other naked a lot."

"Insufferable perverted fool!"

He grunted and captured her arm, "You love it." He whispered into her ear and kissed the side of her forehead.

She scowled and flushed, "Instead of jesting around with me, try to fix your current lack of clothing."

"I've been trying to fix that." He pressed them closer, his arms crossed over her chest, one hand on her shoulder the other grabbing her left breast, soft and yielding under his hand. She tried to shift away but failed as she slowly melted into his touch.

"Ichigo…"

"We both should be naked instead of only me." His face lowered to hers, lips feathered across hers. "I want to finish what we started before you left."

The anticipation was building and became too much for her. "You…fool." She gripped the hand that was on her chest and interlaced it with hers.

Her eyes gradually shut and she leaned forward to press their lips fully together. The connection between them was like a burst of fresh air. A swell of magic transpired between them, overtook their senses.

The magic rushed over them, heating and making their bodies instantly sensitive. Their kiss deepened, her arms wrapped around his neck and his hands tugged her closer. When they finally pulled away, their breathe brushing each other's lips and Ichigo dragged both of them down onto the floor.

Once her knees touched the ground, everything snapped and she remembered where she was. Her breathing shallow and her mind still flushed, she got up and shied away from him, or tried to.

He couldn't explain what happen next and he was sure neither could she. His hands grabbed her, one on her hip and the other ripping her tank top off of her. One warm hand slipped under Rukia's boxer short, feeling the delicate etching of her hips and the other played with the tips of her hair that reached her waist.

"Ichigo, no!" Her hands made another fruitless attempt to stop him.

"You want this," He kissed her more passionately, "I want this." The cool skin of her back curved and was pressed against his uncovered chest, his face buried in the crooks of her neck and he growled loudly. "And I got all night to do what we both want." Body uncovered and fresh, Ichigo moved her hair to the side and draped kisses on the exposed flesh. "I can already smell that you want this, Rukia."

"Ichigo!" She felt his hand grabbing her thigh, inching its way to the hidden space between her thighs. She felt him smile against her skin and this feeling that was coursing through her felt new and welcoming.

Love.

She never thought she would love or be loved.

She never knew falling in love would be so frightening either. To trust another _this_ deeply. These feelings, it was like a light, bright and pure, projecting from their eyes. A fire that ignited and burned inside their hearts slowly engulfing them. A new breath of air, a refreshing touch that sparks intensifying inside of them.

Ichigo whispered words into her ear, comforting her as she finally opened herself fully to him. He held her and read what she was feeling through her eyes. The world stilled for him and Ichigo's heart raced. He smiled at her and she saw his eyes reciprocating those same feelings.

One hand went back to greet her breasts, palming them and wanting to show how he missed the supple mounds. The other one was still on her hip before it trailed down to her thighs, slipping her shorts off completely.

She let out a moan mixed with a gasp when his hand landed on her inner thigh. The warmth he created was being absorbed into her skin, her body flush and trembled as her hands covered his own.

"What-" Rukia wanted to ask what he was doing, and why he was doing whatever he was doing, but her question ended with a loud moan instead and her cheeks were beating red at how willing her body was reacting to him.

There was that sensation between her legs again, and she whimpered when his hand cupped that anatomy of hers. She wanted to close her eyes and focus on his touch, instead they widened when he snarled and turned her around. His eyes were a smoldering pool of liquid gold brown, connecting with hers. Why was she so open to him? Rukia desperately tried to gain back some sort of control, may it be her facial features or her mind.

She needed something to stand on.

Ichigo felt as if his body was lit on fire, clenching and tightening as he tried to control himself from taking her up against the cold floor. It was a difficult task to do when his hand had discovered a fact about nymph he had forgotten. Nymphs were hairless, completely and entirely bare–except for their lashes, eyebrows, and the hair on their scalp–they were nothing but lush and fruitful creatures; she was nothing but a lush and fruitful creature.

Ichigo remembered that she was almost raped and stopped, looked down on the flesh he was holding, seeing no bruises or any scars. "Where?" He asked and she gazed at him with a confused look, "Where did you stop _him _when he was going to…going to…."

She wanted to ask him why it was important for him to know, but she saw the bitter anger in his eyes and she answered him truthfully. "He saw me." She heard him snarl and she held back her sigh. "Gripped my thighs but did not get close enough to touch me there."

He did not feel an ounce of jealousy that that man had seen her but enraged. Enraged that she was seen by that monster, an Espada that tried to force himself on her, his mate, and he wasn't there to do anything. Those wolf instincts were coming back, the pounding need to mark her was back along with the need to mate with her. Even more so when he looked at her chest and saw shallow, faint scars that he missed earlier. Three puncture wounds where she had bled, when she was alone to face an enemy.

"Son of a bitch," His voice was low and rumbled across her skin, his eyes self-loathing until she shoved him off of her.

"What are you doing?" She growled at him, "This is not your fault, me getting hurt is not your fault. Getting these scars is not your fault!" She glared at him, angry at how he was blaming himself. "Do not take the blame for my stupidity, Ichigo!"

He grabbed and dragged her towards him, "How do you want me to feel, Rukia?" His eyes still upset, "I want to protect you."

"And I do not want you to protect me."

"Difficult."

"Stubborn."

They held each other's gaze, both unwilling to give in and look away. Ichigo pressed his forehead against hers, "Let me take care of you, Rukia."

"Only if you let me take care of you," She was close to him; her message came clear at first but then got twisted with his hyper active arousal state. She was pressed so close to him that he felt the pressure of her soft mounds against his chest. The modest brush of her taunt nipples against him. She may not be aware of her actions but he was with his sensitive werewolf's instinct.

Ichigo took a hold of her thighs and hauled her up. Shapely shaped legs wrapped around his hips, and her arms clung onto his shoulders. He had her resting upon his hips as both hands began to explore, and reintroduced his hands to her body.

One hand held her hips when he grinded against her, presenting her his length and his silent promise. His mouth latched on one lovely mound with his free hand tormenting the other. Rukia felt as if she was on the roof again, his tongue hot and crafty, his body large and imposing, and she felt small and defenseless.

The more he stroked his tongue against her skin and pressed his body into hers she began to wonder why she ever thought this was wrong? The heated stir in her lower reign was now slipping sweet nectar. She wouldn't have noticed she was if it wasn't for Ichigo lowering himself and spreading her legs wide enough for him to get a remarkable view of her blossoming core.

The hands she had on his biceps were losing strength to push him away from her, and her mind was a mess of jumbled words and symbols. It was embarrassing being this exposed, having his eyes on that area of her body that was running and twitching and clenching in desire.

Embarrassing but entirely right, it was right, this was right, what was happening between them was right.

She choked out words to discourage his eagerness to explore furthermore, and let out quiet pleas towards herself to retain composure. None of this happened until he howled. It was a loud and rich sound that was produced from the depth of his soul.

It woke her. She laid there staring at the ceiling, white cream painting, and the wind still sweeping inside the veranda. The flash of heat made her shrink away; her thighs ached to close only to have him tightened his hold.

And he began to drink.

Her taste was thick and creamy in his mouth. It was an endless fountain of the smoothest liquor that belonged only to him. He heard her gasp followed by a cry as he lapped for more. He bit, licked, nibbled, and pulled at her soft petals, and teased the passage way of the flowing liquor with his tongue. All of his snarls and growls didn't go unnoticed by Rukia, it made her tremble and wither even more. Her hand flew onto her mouth, flashes blinded her and a scream was muffled as she released the coiled tension Ichigo created.

His ears picked up some words that were coming from Rukia's mouth but never were complete because of her moaning and her muffled scream. That and because all of his blood flowed south and he really couldn't hear anything beyond the sexual sounds she was making and he's raging hard on.

She was a wilted flower, her desire unleashed but rewinding once more with his continuing work of his tongue and hands. What was she becoming? A moaning wanton of a woman and yet she loved it. She loved that it was coming from him. These stirs of electrifying feelings were because of him.

It was becoming too much, too fast. She felt she was going to faint from the force it created from within her.

As a last reminder that he fed off of her, he gave a long lick and tugged on her beating red jewel before he moved up and sank his teeth into the juncture of her neck. Her finger began to move, causing fire on his shoulder as she sputtered out nonsense when he bit her harder. She was saying something, he know she was, but God, she was too much that he couldn't stop.

He was deaf to all noises except the roar in his ears and her heartily moans, screams, groans. Ichigo loved that she went through another tremble of an orgasm as he suckled her tender skin. The only reason he stopped was because Rukia's finger stopped, and he was electrified and shot back a foot.

"God damnit, what the fuck was that!" He barked before he saw how he left her. A smirk appeared on his face and eyes danced with satisfying accomplishment at how limp and baffled he left her. Legs still open, petals puffed as sweet addicting nectar dripped, and her face was simply breathtaking.

She was panting hard, her lungs demanded for air and body demanded for something cool. She ached slightly and felt heavy when she slowly brought her legs together and made her hand reached out for her torn top.

The tick of annoyance ran into her all at once as she glared at him. "You were going too fast!" She stumbled to get up, rage pooled in her eyes as he sat there with that infuriating smirk of his. He looked pleased and unafraid. His eyes still hot on her as he sat there naked, not caring that she could see his man-thingy standing straight up, ever so arrogant and proud. "You ill considerate brat," she spat out with her face red.

"I thought you'll 'take care of me' if I'll 'take care of you', Rukia." He reached up and grabbed her once more, "And I wasn't subtle with what I wanted to do." He pulled her down, having her land between his legs. "I want you, you know I do and you know you want me too. And no matter how badly I want to make love with you, Rukia, we aren't, at least not now. You're still weak and I'm scared if I tried anything more you'll break."

"How noble," She said as she moved to lay her head on his shoulder. She wanted this and yet out of her embarrassment she insulted him, calling him a "brat" when his…manhood proved to her he wasn't. He was far from one. She shifted her head and looked at him, "And I will not break."

He said nothing but held her closer and stared at her with those eyes until he become aware of a slick material on his right hand. He shrugged at her, a grin painted on his face as he made it painfully obvious of his next action. With their eyes connected he brought his right hands up to his lips, and licked what she suspected was her essence glistening on his fingers off.

Ichigo was pleased when he licked his fingers clean but wanted more. "I'm still thirsty, Rukia." He went to kiss her, her own taste on his tongue, "I want more." He already had her on her back once more, "Let me have more." He whispered.

* * *

**A/n: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Thank you, Mikie and FTB. See you next month!**


	22. Chapter 21

**A/n: So, here is Chapter 21. **

**This chapter is dedicated to**_** kitsune23star**_** for making this wonderful fanart for my fanfic. Please check it out and thank you **_**Kitsune**_**, I really do love it, the fact that someone would go out of their way to create something because of my fic...makes me feel like I have touched your heart, even if it was for a short moment. The support means a lot and I'm glad you like my fic. **

http:/kitsune23star._**(o)**_deviantart_**(o)**_.com/art/A-Glass-Orb-230364811

_**Remove the (o) to see it. **_

**Then, to **_**Arcane-Dissonance**_**, I want to thank you for your review, it means a lot to me and even brought tears to my eyes. As a writer, I want to bring my readers into another world and knowing that my writing had the ability to do that when you when you read my chapters ever month, it means a lot. **

**Thank you to both my betas for supporting me and thank you to all of my readers for also supporting me. **

**Now, please enjoy.**

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_**Chapter 21**_

_**Faces**_

The face is an amazing piece of anatomy we have.

Unique to each one with specific detail that only describes you.

A projection of our innermost feeling. Let your face express what you're feeling for it's a gift.

One of the easiest ways to communicate if you are willing to let your emotions flow free, is letting your face change and shift.

Smile when you're happy.

Frown when you're upset.

Scowl when you're angry.

Then, as you age, every change that appears represents the progress of your life. What you've been and those that accept these changes are those who are proud of what they have done.

Do not exchange your true expression for another. Do not try to hide what you feel. Do not try to isolate your face to only one expressionless façade.

At least not to everyone.

The mask you have on, let it slide off for at least one person. The person you trust the most: your mother, father, sibling, relatives, friend, lover, or soul mate.

Let at least one person see you.

Let your face bloom with emotion.

Let the world recognize your face.

Your face is beautiful, it's part of your identity and never be ashamed.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"_Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, we'll be landing at Karakura, Japan soon. So, if you would all please remain seated and buckle up, we'll have you on land in no time. Thank you for flying with _Pillar Airs_."_

Ichigo scowled and looked forward, towards the front of the plane where Rukia sat in first class with Renji while he and Ishida sat in the coach. "Whatever happened between you and Rukia-san is your fault."

The _Beta _wolf growled as he pulled his collar and fixed his cuffs. "How is it my fault?"

"Well," Ishida leaned back and closed his book, "the morning after we found Rukia-san, you were smiling like an idiot, like always, during breakfast. She entered the dining room and gave you the cold shoulder and glared at you. Same afternoon when we went to buy our plane tickets, last minute she asked Renji to change their tickets to first class." Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose and gave a smirk, "So, your fault."

"That makes no sense…" Ichigo said nothing more and opted to close his eyes and relax, grumbling as he kept opening his eye to glance at the curtain shielding the first class. From what happened last night, he thought she enjoyed it as much as he did.

Well, he probably enjoyed it even more but still.

She was breathtaking under the moon light, eyes bright like stars, and her scent overpowering the room. She called out his name and when she couldn't take no more she wrapped her arms around his neck and stayed close to him. Breathing calmly as she gave a sleepy smile, whispering "_I never want this to end_."

He was filled with so much love; he never wanted the feeling to stop.

They were too much in love and it was still not enough.

On the other side of the curtain, both Renji and Rukia were talking quietly with themselves. With the flight being so long Rukia didn't have the heart to place Kon with the luggage. As a result she had Kon on her lap who was sound asleep, curled and content since the beginning of the flight.

"So, he is there?" Rukia took a quick look to the curtain hiding the first class from the coach. Knowing Ichigo was back there, most likely upset that she had been giving him the cold shoulder since the morning.

"He took over your post when you left." Renji laid back into his large red chair and closed his eyes as the plane began to dip down. Flight attendants came and checked if everyone had buckled up and had stored all electronics away before they buckled up themselves. Rukia felt the plane descending, frowning when her ears popped and soothing Kon when it happened to him.

"He knows we will be arriving at the airport." She looked out the window and saw the city getting bigger and bigger. "I wonder what he is going to do."

"He's against you and the mutt being together; so, he might try to keep you two apart. And even if you too aren't that close, Mr. Kuchiki is still your pops and he worries about you, especially since you left to Japan in December to take over his place at the council."

"Is he now…" Rukia played with her hands, gloves covering them. "Keeping us apart," The witch frowned at the thought. Her father was the type of man that would do that, he honored proper etiquette and rules. There has to be approval from her father before the proper courting could progress.

However, Ichigo wasn't brought up like her. He was brought up like the werewolf he was. The rules and duties of his pack were more important to him than the etiquette her father enforced. To find and claim a mate was one duty any Weres were proud to do since it was not only a duty but a destine feat.

A relationship between a Were and its mate was one that lasted for eternity, not even time can separate a mated couple for too long. That was why a law about keeping Weres' mate from one another was created.

The law was created three centuries ago, after the long Hundred Mystic Years War, the Others' Laws of Agreement has made it a regulation and that was probably the only thing that might make her father reconsider her relationship with Ichigo.

In such deep thought, Rukia didn't realize they had landed until she caught sight of Renji standing, waiting for her, "Hey, it's time to leave."

"Yes, of course." Rukia got on her feet and followed him, waking Kon up and placing him back in her bag, having him act like a stuff animal again. Off the plane, they waited for Ichigo and Ishida and as they lingered, Rukia heard some whispers from behind.

Drawn out, hushed whispers that were taunting her. Almost like smoke, they suffocated her, stung her eyes, and flooded her lungs. The cold fingers of mortality pressed against her heart, enclosing the light that was projecting from within her.

"_Soon, everything will come to an end_."

"I know," she whispered.

"You say something?"

"Nothing," she sighed and made a gesture with her hand, as if she was swatting a fly away from her face. "Oh, look, there they are." In the river of humans that were streaming out of the entrance they just came from appeared the two Others.

"Ishida!" Renji yelled and he smirked when he got their attention, "Mutt! Over here!"

. "What!" Ichigo barked and began to speed his way towards them.

"Men," the nymph shook her head and walked away as they both began to argue but did not get too far when Ichigo took a hold of her hand.

"Don't go off by yourself." She frowned and he sputtered out, "What? It's hard to find someone of your size in a big crowd."

She glared at him, "First of all, I thought werewolves had great sense of smell and second of all, you are a terrible liar." She tried to walk away from him but his hand still had hers in his.

What could he say or do that could make her talk to him again? Bring that night up causally? Buy some roses? Should he just take her to his bed, have his way with her and then discuss? "_Actually_," He thought, "_that doesn't sound so bad_."

"Let's go." Ishida led the group as Rukia slid her hand free from Ichigo's. The wolf stood there and saw it again, the black smoke haunting Rukia. It hover the area where her heart was located at, patiently loitering until the muscle stopped and it could completely consume her.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Rukia!" Yoruichi appeared with her hair up in her pony tail, jeans and a tight yellow tee. The were-jaguar smiled sadly as she got closer to Rukia, "I'm sorry but we need to get going."

"For what reason, Miss Yoruichi?"

"Your father, Rukia. He's here somewhere and he's–"

"–going to take his daughter back." Arriving to the small group, with all of them aware of the attention they were catching from the bystanders, Byakuya simply turned to Rukia "It is time to leave, Rukia." His head held up and his regal posture towered over most.

Rukia impassively stared at her father, noticing that he doesn't look as sickly as he did when she left Washington D.C. He didn't even have his cane on him, his suit press and prim. They way he stood before them, his gaze sharper than usual; she knew that he didn't want any complication. "Yes, Father."

"Let's take our leave."

"Wait!" Ichigo shouted and stepped forward, "You can't take her!"

"Step down, Mutt." Renji clapped his hand down on his Ichigo's shoulder, "Rukia is his daughter; he has more right to take her than you."

Fist buried into Renji's collars and brought the human close to his face, "Here I thought we were getting along so well!"

"Put him down, Ichigo." Yoruichi sneered, "You're only making things worst! You too Abarai, that was uncalled for."

Ichigo let go and backed off, "Where are you going to take her?"

The great wizard looked unimpressed at the werewolf, "Where it does not concern you, mongrel dog."

Ichigo would have rebutted but stopped when Renji went and stood next to Rukia, and to everyone's surprise he suddenly reached out and cupped Rukia's cheek, tilting her head to the side.

"You don't even have a scar." His fingers went up to her scalp and felt the silk threads of her hair.

"Unlike bruising, I do not scar too easily." She said, cold and unmoving, not pushing or leaning into Renji's palm. Ichigo gripped his hand into a fist, his nails sliced into his skin and made him bleed as he snarled at Renji who only threw him a brief glance.

"What's the true meaning of this, Byakuya? Abarai?" Yoruichi stepped forward, "As far as I can see, there is no danger and the only danger currently here is you two." She gave a pointed stare at Byakuya. "You are compromising the objective."

"No, I'm following my orders," Renji's hand left Rukia's cheek.

"You all are acting like children." Rukia said coolly and checked her bag, wondering if Kon was alright when he meowed. "I am going with my father. That is final." She gave a bow out of politeness and respect, "Thank you for escorting me."

Byakuya gave a brief bow as well and led them away. Rukia and Renji walked side to side and Rukia could feel Ichigo's angry and frustrated aura. She even felt it inside of her, as if they were her own emotions.

Were they bonded so strongly already?

She didn't dare look at him. She knew if she did she would get the strong urge go run back to him. Nevertheless, the temptation surfaced, too strong for her, and she did glance back quickly. Meeting his eyes and the emotions became even fiercer.

It was still not enough for her, this feeling, she wanted more of it.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Getting into the black slick car with her father and childhood friend, Rukia frowned when she saw Renji in the driver seat, remembering his touch. Her head started to hurt when he touched her. She was reading his mind, and for once, when Rukia wanted to stop.

"_I lied; I told you a lie, Rukia. I'll understand if you'll hate me, but please don't hate me...Thank God, you're fine. Are you alright? Please, don't scare me anymore. Please, don't leave me. When can I say it to you? Rukia–_"

Her telepathy that she had since she was eight stopped. Mid-sentence to what Renji was thinking, it all stopped. Then, before he pulled his hand away, she activated her sixth sense, her ability, and she became aware of what his current thought was.

"_You're his mate, Rukia…_"

He knew since he saw her, knew what Ichigo and she were and yet answered her with such a vague answer. Was she mad? Not really, anger does not truly suit her. Irritation, sure but anger, never.

That emotion was troublesome.

His answer never changed her fate with Ichigo- _their_ fate.

Looking down to her lap, her glove covered hands stared back at her. She pulled at the tip of her middle finger, the glove slipped off her hand easily. She wondered if she has control over her power now. Her thin fingers, finger nails, and wrist looked delicate. New and unsure of its world they had entered, its protection removed.

She never took her gloves off, when she did it was for washing her hands or when she was showering. She never cooked, never cleaned or washed. She stretched her fingers and pulled the other glove off her hand and threw the glove onto the other side of the car seat. Both hands bare, she turned her palm upwards and saw the white tattoo on her inner wrists.

Glancing to Renji and her father who did not notice her investigation of her hands, she turned to Kon who was sound asleep, and smiled to herself.

All of this will soon come to an end.

Back at the airport, Yoruichi folded her arms across her chest and turned to signal the two Others to come along as she watched the car Rukia just got into disappear. "Abarai, that bastard, informed Byakuya. There isn't anything we can do now; knowing that man, it's best that we go, now."

"You actually think he's going to Hat 'n Clogs' place?"

"That man, as cold-hearted as he can be, truly only cares for the wellbeing of his daughter," Yoruichi took her keys out, "He'll be there and so will we."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Kuchiki-sama, Kuchiki-san, Abarai-san," Urahara opened his doors and let the three in, leading them to the backroom, "please, make yourself comfortable. Isshin is already here and I'll get Tessai to brew up some tea." The blond man excused himself with a smile and went away, leaving the three alone.

"Why am I here?" Rukia was the first to sit down, already familiar with his home.

"We all have something to discuss with you," Byakuya sat down as well–ignoring how dirty the floor was–next to his daughter but not too close.

"Must be important since it could not wait until after I was rested," Renji's eyes widen and Byakuya looked over at his daughter. She was never one to talk back to her father, but she really could care less at that instant.

Apprehensively, Renji sat down and they all fell into silence as they waited. Yoruichi with Ishida and Ichigo arrived minutes later, Yoruichi saying nothing towards Renji or Byakuya, and quickly went to the next room.

Then, there was a knock coming from the pantry closet in Urahara's kitchen. Tessai, announcing the arrival of the representatives, opened the pantry door and let Kenpachi, Shunsui, and Ukitake into the kitchen.

It took Kenpachi great difficulty to squeeze his way through the small door, it wasn't until his short temper got the better of him that he blasted the darn door frame away. Smirking widely as the rest gave him an exasperated look. "What?" He asked as if he did nothing wrong. "It was too small for me, what do you expect? I'll duck under the frame?"

They all gathered into Urahara's living room; Ichigo and Ishida were standing near the _Alpha _werewolf, Kenpachi stood at the other side of the room. Ukitake along with Shunsui sat across Rukia, Byakuya, and Renji. Yoruichi stood by the door, foot tapping as she heard Urahara unhurried footsteps.

Rukia toyed with the rim of her cup of tea, looking at her reflection in the oolong tea. She felt Ichigo's eyes on her, his presence overwhelmed her and she was sure everyone else could see what he was feeling. If she looked up, she knew she would be able to see what he was thinking.

When Urahara finally entered the room, he heaved out in a loud voice, "Let's not waste any more time!" Even if he was the last to arrive and this being his own home. "Please, Kuchiki-san, tell everyone of your current status of living!"

If it wasn't for her noble composure she kept on, Rukia would have spit out the tea and gape at Urahara for his direct question. Instead, she set her tea down after taking a sip, determined to have the upper hand on this situation. "For the last seventy-four days, I have been living in-and-out of hotels and in the Shiba's estate…or, are you talking about another state of living?"

"Please, don't act as if you don't understand me, Kuchiki-san."

"Oh, I do understand what you are asking me but I am unsure if the rest understand what you are asking. However, before I can answer all of you, how about you answer something for me, Urahara?" Rukia stood up tall, all five feet of her, "Tell me, why did you poison me?"

"What!" Ichigo and Renji yelled simultaneously, Ichigo ready to punch Urahara and Renji getting up from where he sat.

"Indeed, let's start with that," Byakuya glared and his hand was ready to get his wand out, "I advise you to answer wisely."

Yoruichi even stared at her husband, shocked that he went as far to use poison, it was a shady action and she angrily waited for an explanation as well. "Well Kisuke," She probed, "answer the girl."

The blond man looked around him, not expecting for everyone in the room staring at him like they were. "Well...um, it wasn't poisoned! It was a sleeping potion, I needed a blood sample."

"For what, Hat n' Clogs?" Ichigo growled.

Urahara stayed quiet, creating an air of anticipation before one corner of his lips twitched upwards, "To see how activated the Hōgyoku was." From his sleeves he pulled out the piece of paper Ichigo brought in days earlier and held it up for everyone in the room to see. "For those who don't know what the Hōgyoku is, this is a sketch of it."

"What do you mean by 'activated,'" Rukia glanced at her father, hiding her surprise at how angry his voice was.

"It's exactly how it sounds." Byakuya's eyes widened, as if the world finally exposed themselves to him. Urahara turned to Rukia and once more asked, "What is your current state of living, Kuchiki-san?"

"Spiritually, I am dead." She said as if it was nothing, "however, I am alive, breathing and walking with all of you because of the Hōgyoku."

"How?" Renji took a hold of Rukia's forearms, "How are you dead!"

"Unhand her, Abarai!" Byakuya demanded.

Ishida's hand was placed on Renji's shoulder and Ichigo was being held back by his father, "Calm down, son." Isshin said to Ichigo.

"Abarai," Ishida said, calling Renji out from his anger and letting go of Rukia's arm.

"If you are dead, _Cheri_, then how can you still be with us? Why?" Ukitake pondered.

Rukia made no move to rub her arms, Renji's grip was strong and it did hurt, she wouldn't be surprised if she got bruises later. "After the attacks from the hollows," She began, "I knew Ichigo was not going to stand aside and watch. So, I brought him here, to your home and store, Urahara, before he'll go and do something stupid. Getting Ichigo's guns and claws blessed was an easy matter; the same with the price for the blessing which was half a soul. Without much thought…I paid it."

"Knowing that you already paid your own blessing, you still paid mine!" Ichigo broke free from his father's grip and walked to Rukia. No one tried to stop him; it wasn't as if Rukia was in danger being in his presence–even if Byakuya preferred Ichigo not getting too close to her. No werewolf would ever harm their mate, "You didn't have to do that!"

"And you did not have to get involved!" She yelled back and quickly cursed herself when she made eye contact with Ichigo. "But you did; so, you have no right to tell me what I did was wrong."

"Then, why did you do it, Rukia?" His face was close to her; he could smell her scent but scowled when he smelt Renji's scent on her, too.

There were so many answers she can give him, should she tell him her true feelings or tell him the most practical reason? She couldn't help the softening of her eyes or her heart thumping louder against her chest. Being in the same room with him, she felt all the tension she once felt, the anger and loneliness she harboured, vanish.

When they touched, there was something there, something she never experienced. It was as if her body was overtaken with fireworks of bright light, everything vanished but them.

Staring into his eyes, the amber iris that were angry morphed into concern, she felt his hand coming up as he said her name again. Stopping his hand with her own, gently pushing it away from her, she knew what she had to say. "So you stay out of this war and see that your place is here, in Karakura Town protecting your pack and family." She was caught off guard when he gave a large grin, a glint of confidence shimmering in his eyes.

"Rukia," Her father called out, and both Ichigo and she remembered they weren't the only ones in the room. Ichigo saw that his father had a large smile on his face, and the rest were staring at them. It was embarrassing but he saw that Rukia heeded no attention to them and instead she swiftly stepped away from Ichigo and gave her father her attention. She saw his disapproval but said nothing on the matter, "How much do you know?"

"Everything, but the full explanation of what the Hōgyoku can do." Rukia looked at Urahara pointedly and raised a brow, "Maybe you care to explain?"

Hiding his eyes, Urahara opened his fan and gave a sly smile that no one could see, "It would be better to ask that question later on, Kuchiki-san."

Rukia huffed and looked around, at every face in the room. "What now?"

"Who saved you?" Ishida asked, ever since being told by Rangiku that someone saved Rukia, Ishida was burning to know who it was. "When Rangiku-san and you were attacked, she said that someone saved you, who was it?"

"I do not know who it was, did not see a face and I do not recognize the reiatsu," Rukia looked at her fingers and struggled to find the right words, "but it was someone that is not on our side. The power they were radiating was suffocating, strangling, it was not right but I sense they were good as well. I am thinking there is a rat in the Espada."

"That's very interesting, Kuchiki-san. I'll make note of this…this curious claim." Urahara looked over at Isshin, a look passing between them.

"Rukia-chan," Isshin smiled at the young nymph who relaxed, "I know you don't want to hear this, but our main priority is your protection."

Ukitake drank some tea from where he sat and continued where Isshin left off, "The Espada, they want you. Their leader, whoever he may be, wants you."

Kenpachi, who looked bored, pushed himself off the wall, "I'm thinking we should hide you."

"You are not going to hide me!" Rukia walked to the front of the room, from the corners of her eyes, she saw Yoruichi and Kenpachi already blocking her exits. "If the Espada wanted me, they would have sent someone to get and kidnap me a long time ago. I am an essential to whatever they are planning, this much is clear now."

Oh, she was angry and if she wasn't showing it, her father raised her very well. To cage her, as if she was a bird, she won't allow it. No, nothing would take her freedom away! "If I'll go into hiding or not, trust me, they will find me." Rukia's chest was heaving and she tried to calm herself down, she already began to feel short of breath inside of her. "It would be better to find out what _they _are planning."

"We may not know what they are planning, Rukia," Byakuya looked coolly at her, "But as your father, I agree with Kenpachi, your safety it our priority. You are going to go into hiding."

Her breathing became ragged and her face was flush, "I will not allow any of you to cage me like a bird."

"If we are going to cage you, Rukia, you will not be a bird but a butterfly." Rukia's eyes widened a fraction as Byakuya used his cane to get on his feet, tired of sitting and not wanting his daughter to look down on him.

After much talk and arguing between Rukia and the rest, the nymph then told all of them what she told Ishida, Renji, and Ichigo the night before. They found out about the items she was collecting and all agreed she had to stop. The talisman and keys were taken away from her and given to Urahara to hide them. The rest were told the most basic information of the Hōgyoku.

"The Hōgyoku, what is it?" Kenpachi, who had a glass of gin in his hand swirled the liquor and downed it. He enjoyed the stinging of it down his throat. "If I'm going to protect this princess, I would like to know why."

Urahara chuckled and gave a nod, "That is a very good question. The Hōgyoku has the power to give man an opportunity to dethrone God and become God himself. Without the Hōgyoku one cannot walk in the realm of God and destroy him, this is why I believe the Espada are after Kuchiki-san."

"What about the talisman?" Shunsui brushed his beard as he thought, "Why would she need to search for these mystic items?"

"She is the chosen one, the priestess of the Hōgyoku. She needs to cross over to the other side, for a single moment to cleanse the earth. If done properly…" Urahara looked down, his stripped bucket hat covering his eyes. Rukia looked out the window, wanting to fade away as he spoke, "if done properly she'll leave, if not she'll die."

"Then, why are you speaking as if her future is in demise?" Yoruichi barked, "What are you not telling us, Kisuke?"

"The only high priestess to have ever done the ceremony properly was when Rukia's soul first took over this job. As far as I know, every single reincarnation of Rukia's soul has never been able to cleanse the earth properly because someone or something kept getting in the way. Each reincarnation had their own enemy that led to their death."

"Are you telling me my daughter is going to die?"

"I'm not saying that–"

"Then what are you saying, Hat n' Clogs?" Ichigo snarled.

"I'm saying her future is not granted…and you know it, don't you, Kuchiki-san?"

Rukia had her arms crossed and glanced at the blond man. "Of course I know and I do not care if I fall into this chain my past lives had. Compared to the world, my life means nothing."

Her declaration echoed in the silent room, deafening all of them as they stared at her. Ichigo was vivid, her father quiet, Renji cursing softly, Isshin and Urahara looking grim, Ukitake and Shunsui shocked, and it was Kenpachi that broke the trance. "Then, as part of the Others council, I will put extra effort to make sure that this fucked up tradition doesn't continue."

Rukia gave a small smile towards the giant man and thanked him, not believing his words as fully as she wished she could. Isshin went up to her and patted her head, "We're still looking for a way to save you, Rukia-chan. We all are, especially that son of mine." He grinned at her, toothy and promising, "Trust us."

They planned as much as they could and soon it became late very quickly and Rukia was having a difficult time keeping her eyes open. Byakuya noticing felt his fatherly instinct take over and announced he was leaving. "This conversation can continue tomorrow."

"He is right," Shunsui got up too and stretched as he yawned, "It is very late and it would be good to meet again after a good night of sleep with much clearer heads, _si_?" Smiling, he and the rest of the representative bid a goodbye and left through the closet since Kenpachi destroyed the pantry door.

Rukia had already left the room where her father, the Urahara couple, and Isshin were conversing about last minute issues and stood near the entryway. Being April eleventh, the night was undisturbed and the night sky was cloudless and the wind was crisp.

As she waited she heard clips of the conversation that was taking place back to the room where she was earlier, "When we meet up again, Urahara, I want to know what exactly the Hōgyoku is." Tilting her head to hear better she was interrupted when she heard Ishida calling her.

"Rukia-san," Looking behind her other shoulder, Rukia saw him and Ichigo walking towards her. "I need to ask you something."

"Fine but I first need to ask you: how is Ran-san?" Her blond friend, the one who had accompanied her. Rukia's heart was already clenching at the memory of Rangiku's battered body. It was all her fault, if only she wasn't stupid enough to fall into Rangiku's plea. When Rukia left Rangiku to Renji, Rukia could only wonder what happened to her friend. She would never forgive herself for getting Rangiku hurt.

This was why she didn't want anyone to get involved; they will all end up hurt.

Ishida, knowing better than most, relaxed his frown and turned it to a smile. "She's fine, was only in the hospital for a few days, not even a week. No scars, just a bruise or two."

A rush of relief filled her, projecting itself though her eyes, succeeding in not smiling–she'll smile later on when she was alone–Rukia looked to the side, to the room where her father was. "Go on then, what was your question?"

"I get why you gave the last part of your soul to Ichigo, but do you think it's a wise thing to do?"

"Of course, because Ichigo has his full soul, he is much stronger than your average wilder. The stronger your soul is, the stronger your power is. That is why I, giving my other half of my soul as payment, I believed it was a good idea. Now," Rukia turned away and slipped on her shoes, "if you'll excuse me, I am going to get some fresh air."

Ichigo who stayed silent went forward and put on his own shoes as well. "Keep them occupied for me, will ya?" Not waiting for the elf to respond, Ichigo headed outside.

"Don't screw this up, Kurosaki." Ishida started to come up with some plans, wanting to be ready when Byakuya and Renji came out of the room.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia heard Ichigo's footsteps behind her, annoyed that he wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was following her. She went around a corner of the shop where the bare landscape was covered in lush grass.

"What idiocy did you get yourself into to receive that wound on your face?" She said as she stopped and turned half way to face him, she didn't have time last night to get a good look at him, but now that she did he was just as she remembered him to be with the exception of that scar under his eye. He foolishly looked at her, not understanding what she was asking. "The scar," She stressed, "how did you get that scar? It was not there when I left."

"Oh," he reached up and touched it, "I was fighting against a hollow and wasn't really paying attention."

"How am I not surprised?" She mumbled and went back to walking away from him. Here she thought he would have enough werewolf instinct to not get himself hurt against a measly hollow.

He was following her again; his steps were right behind her.

Twisting around to face him before he could say anything to her, she huffed and brought her hand up to his face, "Let me see." Her thumb caressed the scarred flesh; wanting to memorize the shape of it as her other hand went up to tilt his head to the side, letting her get a better look at it. "The only area on your body that does not have a scar on it and here you are, weeks later."

"You sound worried." Ichigo closed his eyes and pressed his head into her hand.

Rukia, becoming aware of her fluttering heart took her hands away, dropping them to her sides, hoping the tingling feeling she felt would drip from her fingers. "Am I not permitted to feel concern over your wellbeing?"

"You always are, Rukia." Ichigo smirked but it slid down to a frown as he sensed the tension and refusal before he saw it on her face. "Rukia?" His larger hands reached out to hers but she avoided it. Not wanting to be touched by him, especially when she knew it would make her want to kiss him.

However, the move unfazed him and he caught her hands, brought her close and hugged her. She became paralyzed. His heartbeat was right next to her ear and was gradually luring her to a sleep. Unsure of what to do besides pull away, Rukia licked her lips and trembled faintly. "There is something else I must tell you, Ichigo." She brushed her hair back and looked down, "You cannot die, Ichigo, you cannot lose your power." She whispered to him, stressed to him, "You must live on, no matter what happens to me..."

"Nothing's going to happen to you, Rukia. I'm going to make sure and I'm not going to die, neither are you. Trust me."

Her voice died out, not knowing what else to say. She didn't want to hear Ichigo talk and when she saw his lips open to speak, she stepped up and pressed her lips against his. It was a sweet kiss that bloomed warmth inside of them. It was quick and fleeting; too brief for his taste and he would have pulled her close for another taste of her lips if she hadn't escaped his grasp and went back to the front of the store.

"Rukia!" He yelled after her and quickly followed her.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Rukia, where you've been?" Renji, who had left earlier to get the car was in front of the shop and called out for Rukia when he saw her. Kon popped his head out and looked ecstatic at seeing Rukia again, shouting her name and vibrating with happiness.

"Nowhere," She answered. Byakuya, who just got outside lifted his eyebrow, but said nothing again. He told her it was time to go and Rukia walked towards the car, Byakuya opened the door for his daughter before entering the car himself.

Ichigo watched the car pull away, clenched his hand and looked up to the sky.

"Kurosaki," Ishida stepped outside, wearing his light jacket and ready to leave to his hotel. "I hope I've given you enough time."

"There's never enough time when it comes to Rukia." Ichigo then walked away with his hand buried into his jacket pocket. "Fuck..."

* * *

_**A/n: Well, this was 15 pages long, hope everyone enjoyed it. Oh, and I can't wait to post Chapter 24, I just finished it and I, personally, find it amusing for one single paragraph in the entire chapter. That's just me.**_

_**Well, see you next month and thank you for the support!**_


	23. Chapter 22

**A/n: Howdy, here is Chapter 22 for everyone! There isn't much to say, except that I'm moving so I wanted to post this before I become so busy that I can't post this month's new chapter!**

**Oh and ****YuppersTisBeCaterina, I wanted to say that I do read all my reviews, and all my reviews always, all my support, I love and appreciate it. I'll be no where without you guys, thank you for all your support, thank you to my betas for always being on the ball with me. **

**Here is the new chapter, enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter 22**_

_**Risk**_

Why do many people fear taking risk?

Do they fear being laughed at?

Do they fear being thought about differently?

Do they fear being who they are?

Risk: please do not find them scary or forbidding. Leave being timid and squeamish behind and don't let it rule over your actions. Life is already a large risk; living everyday is a risk, however it's the small trials we face that do not only affect our lives completely but the others who we care for.

The more we live the better we live.

So what if we fail, fall, soil or make a fool out of ourselves? Should we let fear rule over us, over our judgment and future?

I believe it is alright to fail, fall, soil, and make fools out of us but it's not alright to not rise again.

"Always push forward," the _beta _wolf remembers, "never stop." He looks at the young lady, his mate, sleeping peacefully beside him. All the risk she takes for everyone makes him smile, his fingers caresses her cheek as he kisses her forehead. "Live for the present and for the tomorrow."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Nel Tu is dead." Urahara looked over at Isshin and Ichigo who both were smoking heavily. "She was fighting against Nnoitra, the quinto Espada."

Isshin exhaled a cloud of smoke from between his lips and rubbed his forehead. Nel was just becoming part of their group, made so much progress and yet she was not free from the Espada's grasp. "So, how many Espada are down?"

Ichigo looked off the side, not surprised by Urahara and his father's lack of emotional anguish. It comes to senior Others, many years of fighting and surviving, death was as common as needing a glass of water. He wasn't used to it, and he knew that one day he would, even if he never wished to. "Three, as far as we know, three out of the nine are dead."

"What are we going to do then?" Yoruichi was behind the three males, not saying a word until now. "An hour ago I told Yamamoto about Nel Tu and now we find out she was killed along with the quinto Espada. Something is going on. Rukia killed an Espada, Byakuya and Kenpachi joined together to kill another, and now an ex-Espada kills an Espada. The Espada are dwindling down and yet we have not done much to cause this." They were silent, pondering over the sudden claim, "What's the information we received from Nel's death, Ichigo?"

The _beta _wolf reached inside the large yellow envelope and pulled out Nel's documents. "Not much, it seems what defeated her was her own attack, sacrificing herself to defeat Nnoitra. Besides that, there is nothing new. We only have the information she gave us."

Days before her death, the green haired Espada confessed how much information she could, describing in much detail the Espada plans. The Espada wanted to change the force of the world. Have the hollows roam while locking the living away, destroying the balance of the universe.

That was the reason why they needed Rukia, who has the Hōgyoku as a heart, beating life into her body. Nel told them that the Hōgyoku was needed because it could destroy the barrier between the living and the realm where God, also known as the Spirit King, inhabited.

Not only that, she also said that the Hōgyoku was alive.

"Then, just how the Espada had a rat in their company, so do we." Urahara sighed and rubbed his head. Nel also confessed that the council was not pure any longer.

"We just need to find out who it is." Isshin said, "And figure out how many there are. Nel said we are tainted, she never said how many of us are however."

"Then, what should we do?" Urahara asked behind his fan. "There are many solutions, however not all of them are right. And the only thing that truly matters to Ichigo-kun is Rukia's safety."

"We all care about Rukia's safety! And how about what we are going to tell Yamamoto?" Yoruichi barked at her husband, "As far as I know, I don't want to be dragon food!"

"We should tell him everything. From the start to what we know right now. As far as I know, Yamamoto is not the enemy. His moral values are too high strung for him to even be a consideration as the mole." Ichigo blew out smoke, and had his palm against his forehead, "Even as a hard ass, Yamamoto has good judgment."

Isshin suddenly grinned and threw his arm around his son's head, "Oh! If only your mother could see you now! So mature and responsible! Masaki, I raised our son well!"

The _beta _wolf growled and punched his father off of him, "Annoying old man!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia stared out the window and wondered what was in the white environment she was seeing. She lowered her lashes and strolled away from the window and went to explore the house her father placed her in.

The walls and floors were made out of grey stones; carpets from red to the colour brown littered the home's floor. Tasteful furniture here and there, tapestry hanged on the wall, and candles served as light during the night. Paddling down the stone stairs, Rukia did not know how to feel.

She was utterly alone.

There was no life where she was. No creatures were around, not even any spiders or flies crawling or buzzing around the house. Outside there weren't any birds or insects fluttering about. No humans to interact with, nothing but herself when she looked in a mirror.

She arrived alone, she ate alone, and went to bed alone. She only had herself to talk to. For the past three days she spent most of the time asleep. At first, she thought it wouldn't be bad, she had gone longer without human communication, but the fact that there wasn't another life–soul– here...she did nothing but stared out the window to the empty scenery.

She was here for her protection. Here, no one will find her. Protection for her body but what about her mind- her sanity? The first day she went into a screaming enraged fury. Trying to find a way out, looking through every door, casting every spell she knew that did not require her wand.

Nothing worked.

She was stripped off of her wand, her necklace, and had nothing but a small suitcase of clothing and a small bundle of books.

This was the way her father was protecting her. She didn't know if anyone else knew where she was- if Ichigo knew where she was. She was separated from the world, no communication at all.

Her world might as well be bleached.

Rukia began her way to where the front door was. She went down the long hallways, down the three flights of stairs, going through the large open hallway until she was in the entrance. The looming double doors stood, the polish handles being held firmly in her hands. Rukia flung the double doors opened.

A blast of air hit her and her eyes stung when she only saw the empty white environment. No matter how many times she opened these doors, it was the same setting; she was in the same prison. She sighed and closed the doors, leaning her forehead on the wood before she turned.

Her eyes didn't even blink when she saw the formation of air in front of her. Power, threads of black reiatsu was being formed, swirling and constructing an appearance. After many weeks, the black mist emerged and drifted above the ground before her.

"It's been a while, has it not?" Rukia said, "Here I thought I would not need to be used by you again."

The black mist, a smoke that's been following her since the summer of her mentors' and best friend's death. This black smoke was also known as death, the threatening creature that leads souls to the other side. This omen has been helping her all these years, by giving her life force through the memories and emotions of those who were about to part.

"What? Am I your next target?" She asked, even when she knew it wouldn't answer her, it never did. It couldn't talk but she still asked.

The smoke floated but then began to drift towards her, and stopped a few inches from her face. It hovered and waited until Rukia moved out of its way and it drifted until it was at the door. With ease, it filtered through the door, decaying it as it merged with the wood.

It lingered outside until she followed. It led her into the white abyss, further and further that she could not see the large stone house she was imprisoned in, not even a dot to pinpoint where it once stood.

"Where are you taking me?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

It took a few hours to tell Yamamoto everything, and as expected, the elder dragon was not happy at all. His calm composure made them unnerved; however none of them felt frighten from the elder dragon.

At first, Yamamoto was having a hard time believing them. The Other Council was infected? He did not believe it. He was the creator of the council; he began it about four hundred years ago with the thought of order and well-being of Others in mind.

He was the head while there was war and distrust between Others. The leader when they became united. Leader when the humans hunted them, and now, leader when they were about to plunge into another war and appearance of the Others were about to make in front of the humans.

Yamamoto had handpicked those who filled the seats and to find out his judgment was wrong was not pleasant. The elder dragon was about to unleash his true form if it wasn't for Yoruichi who called Ukitake and Shunsui to convince him not to. "While I do not agree with the methods all of you have taken, and seeing as two of my most trusted students are siding with you," Yamamoto nodded to Ukitake and Shunsui, "I'll take your word. I'll have my assistant run investigations on all the members, including you all. Can never be too sure and have him hide the talisman and keys in a secure location." The old dragon banged his cane against the floor, dismissing them.

"That went better than I expected, all thanks to Ukitake and Shunsui; none to you three!" Yoruichi glared at the two werewolves and the grinning wizard. "When I said let's explain to him what's happening, I didn't mean to yell and argue with him!"

"He wasn't listening to reason; while he's agreeable, I forget he's stubborn too." Isshin said.

"I wouldn't say the old dragon is an agreeable person. Rational, yes, agreeable not so much." Urahara laughed.

"He's even harder to handle than Rukia." The younger werewolf remarked, finally able to light the cigarette he had in his jacket pocket. He hated when he couldn't smoke, there were too many smells and sometimes it becomes overpowering. He stopped after the first puff when he recognized a smell in the dense smog of smoke. Turning around he saw Byakuya and Renji walking towards them.

"It seems you always are smoking." The wizard remarked, "I should consider this as another reason that you are not fit for my daughter."

"I can give you one big reason why she would want to be _fit_ with me," Ichigo smirked when he saw Byakuya's cold gaze reinforce itself.

Isshin stepped in before Ichigo could further infuriate the American representative. "Ah, Kuchiki-san, how can we help you?" The _Alpha _wolf looked around at the two and gave a small frown, "And where's Rukia-chan?"

"I've come here upon Yamamoto's request and Rukia is in a safe location. No need to worry about her but thank you for asking about her well-being, Kurosaki-san."

"Ah! No need to be polite! Rukia-chan really is a wonderful girl; she just made her way into the heart of our pack." Isshin joked.

"Well, if you'll excuse us." Byakuya gave a bow and left the small group with Renji in tow.

Ichigo had a scowl on his face and felt his father's hand on his shoulder as Isshin snickered, "You still act like a child, Ichigo."

"What?"

_The next day_

Around noon, after leaving some documents Ichigo waved goodbye to his father and the rest at the _Supra Natura _before he headed to his car and went to his job. Entering the large building, he past fellow officers who greeted him as they took crooks into the small jail cells they had on premises. Ichigo went up a few floors and found his office filled with papers and unfinished reports.

With a disgruntled sigh, he worked on them diligently for hours, not noticing when the sun began to set and when night settled in. Cigarette buds crowded his ashtray and overflowed. He finished more than three fourths of his work and noticed it was already past two o' clock in the morning when he got a knock on his office door.

He stopped his work and took a whiff of the air, perching a brow when he caught Renji's scent and wondering why the human would be coming in at this hour. "Come in." The red haired man in his brown suit walked in the office, tense as he met Ichigo's eyes. "Is there something I can help you with Renji, there has to be a reason since it's already this late?"

"Acting so distant," Renji sat down on the chair opposite of where Ichigo sat, giving him a frown.

"What do you expect? You helped Byakuya take my mate away from me."

"It was needed to protect her. Byakuya placed her somewhere safe; a place where no one will be able to find her. I don't even know where she's at." Renji reasoned, "I don't agree with him trying to separate you two but I do agree with him trying to protect her."

Ichigo ignored him and stated his first question, "Why did you come here?"

"To share some bits of information that I think you might want to know. Do you remember the talisman and keys Rukia found?" Ichigo nodded, "They've been stolen."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Her bare feet repeatedly pressing down on the smooth surface, her eyes wandered from the black smoke to her surroundings. She had been walking for hours, minutes, days? She didn't know. She didn't even know where she was. Was she still in the painting her father put her in? Or did the death cloud lead her to another realm?

She hated being led; she would rather much lead. She liked knowing where she was going, knowing where her destination will lay. "_How tedious_," she thought. About to open her mouth, to demand where she was going, death evaporated.

"Wait!" Rukia reached out, "You cannot leave me here!"

It did.

She stood in the blankness, turned around once and twice, looking for a way to escape, swearing at her own stupidity at trusting the black smoke and following it. She even forgot what direction she came from.

Being lost, she decided she could either fall to the ground and cry or keep walking. She kept walking, still swearing and blaming it on Ichigo. His habits were rubbing off on her. "That is the last time I am trusting…"

She stopped when she saw in the whiteness a pair of red beaded eyes blinking at her. She stepped forwards and the creature hopped back, its ears stood up straight and she saw the pinkness in them, the sole of its paws, and its nose that was twitching at her. "A rabbit?"

With her words vibrating to the rabbit's ear, the small animal ran.

She, once again, followed.

In the distance, from the whiteness, tints of green and brown began to form. She was drawing closer to something; she felt the force of it. The pulse of life, never ending, as she got closer and closer to it, it was such a smooth beat.

Her heartbeat was about to burst from trying to keep up, her breathing ragged and painful, her throat constricting and letting almost no air into her lungs. Tears stung her eyes and she felt if she stopped, she would die. Die alone in this place, in this blankness surrounded by nothing.

She needed to keep going.

She won't die alone.

The tints of green and brown became strong, and then there was blue in the sky. She passed a small path of flowers, then other animals. She slowed down when she saw trees, large, old and young, a few feet ahead of her.

It didn't take long for her to decide if she should or should not enter the woods. The flow of magic here was something she never experienced before. It was pure, untouched and plentiful. Streams of sunlight penetrated the branches and leaves, falling upon her. Winds lifted up the buoyant of life and her loneliness as well, leaving behind the lingering feelings of invigoration.

There were animals already, and every single one was fearless of her. Deer with their fawns approached her, birds sat and flew close to her, skunks and possums passed by her as if there was nothing to dread. She then noticed the rabbits passing by her, how none of them were the color white except for the one that led her here.

The white rabbit was a few paces ahead, waiting for her, ears twitched as if to probe at her leisurely pace. A grin appeared on her face at how impatient it was, "Coming." She followed closely behind, watching it hop.

She stepped over stones and twigs on the floor. Her bare feet already dirty and in pain but she ignored it. The plum color dress she was wearing, the front long enough that it reached her ankles while the back was a few inches longer, was all tore up and dirty from it being caught on bushes and branches. She shrugged at her ruined dress and continued. A dress after all was just a dress.

Further in, she heard the rush of water, not like a waterfall for the sound was far gentler but she wouldn't say it was the sound of a stream. Wanting to slow down her pace, she didn't dare when the rabbit began to quicken its pace.

"_I think it's trying to tell me not to slow down_." She frowned as she sped up, still finding the rabbit adorable.

Focused on the rabbit's cottontail was halted when it did and it looked up. The sound of water was much clearer now. From where the rabbit sat, her eyes trailed up. The ground was fertile and surrounded a body of water, a spring that had vibrant dark blue water surface that then faded into blackness.

So clear that she saw straight down to the infinite black bottom of it. On the surface of the water, there were about a dozen moon orchids, floating and bright and breezy. Orchids were white with its center being the color of violet.

At first, she thought this spring must have been man-made, yet those thoughts disappeared for one simple reason: the water came from the sky. The basis of why she thought it was man-made because of the large statue of a person in the center of the pool of water. The statue stood in the spring, deep within since its lower half was engulfed by the water. Head bowed and gender hidden by its stone robe, holding a floating orb in its outstretched hand just a couple of feet above the water.

She thought the water came from an upper piece of land, but the low clouds hiding where the water came from glided away to show the water came from the heavens and poured on top of the orb, then pooled inside the palm of the statue before the water fell into the spring.

She looked around the spring and noticed, unlike the rest of the woods, the vegetation there was all new and looked around the same age. Buds barely opened, small trees stopped its growth, vines stopped their exploration, and animals went forward and drank from the fountain.

They stayed in that constant state of time.

They were not part of God's realm of time; they were not part of the wheel of life. Forever, will they be lone beating hearts, united and never to die. They will live forever with no fear of death but with no enjoyment of flourishing. "'Time stops for no one.'" She repeated the words Yoruichi taught her, "except here…am I at the Fountain of Youth?"

From the corner of her eye she saw the reappearance of the black smoke, slithering passed her and went to where the water pour from the hands. "What?" She asked, "You expect me to go over there?" It kept floating there and Rukia scowled, "Because if you are I am not!

"I will not step foot into this water. So, do not expect me to become some immortal being, I will _not_ roam this earth forever like you. 'Time stops for no one,' and that includes me. I will not allow you or anyone to take time away from me," Rukia quickly became silent when she looked down and saw her tattoos gently glow. Her mouth opened and promptly closed shut and in a whisper she said, "It is here…"

Rukia grabbed her head, swells of emotion causing her head to hurt and her vocal chords had the biggest urge to curse and use extremely foul language. She took deep breathes and comforted herself by reminding herself this was her mission. "_And who knows, maybe Ichigo would like a mate that never ages…_"

She looked away from the spring for one moment, turned her back to it until she took a deep breath and ran towards it. Not wanting to think about what she was about to do, her feet made contact with the surface of the water; she avoided stepping on the orchids and with her hands, jumped and clanged to the statue's hands.

The water poured over her head and body, entering her mouth and she briefly stilled. Amazed at how the water tasted. It was smooth, cool and glided over her tongue like a cloud. Involuntarily her fingers let go and she landed inside the water.

The feelings of the water around her, she was drunk with pleasure. She felt as if she was given a new body, her organs rejuvenate and she felt no pain. Her body relaxed, eyes closed, and among the white orchids she floated as well.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Move. Get out of the way!" Ichigo yelled as he and Renji arrived to the _Supra Natura_. They sped past guests and Ichigo led them straight to his father's office. He didn't bother to knock and basically slammed the door open even when he heard his father speaking sternly with someone.

His father sat at his desk, both hands under his chin and an irritated look on his face however, not towards Ichigo but towards the heated topic between him and Yamamoto. Isshin moved his eyes away from the old dragon and onto Ichigo's.

"Thank you for getting Ichigo, Abarai." Isshin said as he nodded to Renji, "Come, sit down, the both of you."

Ichigo and Renji nodded to Yamamoto as they sat down, "Any idea who did this?" Renji asked.

"No," Isshin answered, "We have pack members looking around and the _Gamma_ will tell us if they find anything. Yamamoto-san was just telling me where he told his assistant to hide the talisman and keys."

"Yes," The elder dragon spoke, "The items were secured, like you know Kurosaki-san, in an underground department at the _Supra Natura_. The room has a portal, only being able to be opened by two people–my assistant and myself–leading to a secured royal Fae vault."

"Then, tell me, how were they stolen then?" Ichigo asked, "If only you and your assistant can go in?"

"Simple, Kurosaki," Yamamoto began, "They killed my assistant." With his face unmoved by what he said, both werewolves saw the tightening of the elder dragon's fist. Chōjirō Sasakibe was more than an assistant for Yamamoto, he, and Ukitake and Shunsui, were like sons to him. He watched over the three since they were little boys and even after they became members of council–even if Sasakibe rejected his offer to become a member. "They found Sasakibe's body mutilated in the Fae vault. There was a spell on him, one only a powerful wizard can place on someone as strong as Sasakibe."

"I was discussing with Yamamoto-san as to what our new course of action should be." Isshin said, "We could easily go on without batting an eye at this new development, we could also inform the rest of the council of this but not tell them of the information about the traitors. Then, we still need to tell Rukia-chan about this."

"Does Byakuya know about this already?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't believe so," Renji answered, "Kuchiki-san had a meeting earlier today with some business associates. Not sure how long the meeting took, or even if it's over."

"How about Shunsui, Urahara, Kenpachi, or Ukitake?" Ichigo looked over at Yamamoto.

"I sent a messenger to Shunsui and Ukitake already." The elder dragon said.

"Urahara was the first person I told," Isshin said, "He and Kenpachi are already in the Fae vault, investigating the site themselves."

They all stayed silent, contemplating on what to do until Ichigo spoke up, "I think we shouldn't tell the council anything about this. It would be better if we cover this up by saying it's a routine checkup we pack members do."

"The boy is right," Yamamoto agreed after brooding over it, "It would be best to keep this to ourselves. If we explain the theft of the talisman and keys, it will cause suspicion or worse, give us away."

Isshin nodded and was about to speak when there was a knock at the door, "Come in." He said, expecting information from the _gamma_ but caught the scent of someone more… feminine. The door opened to reveal the young Momo, looking anxious, tired and worried. "Hinamori-san, it's quite late to be here don't you think?" The _Alpha_'s watch read four thirty-eight and he scowled at how time never seemed to be at his side. "It would be better if you go back to your room and wait until morning. You see, we're busy and if this isn't important–"

"Uryuu-san sent me," she said, her bun was messy and her eyes teary from her run, "There's trouble and it involves Rukia."

Ichigo felt his stomach drop in the hushed silence of the room.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Arriving to the temporary rental townhouse of Kuchiki Byakuya, Ichigo could see there were already swarms of Others police officers, all that he knew including his childhood friend, Tatsuki. The female werewolf turned to him at once, "The house is all torn up, it seems like they were looking for something." She said.

"Or someone." Keigo appeared and nodded at Ichigo, who was still impressed that someone like Keigo could become serious when it came to his work. "Nothing valuable was stolen, the safe was ripped open but not even one thing of Kuchiki-san's personal belongings inside the safe was taken."

"Has Kuchiki-san been called already?" Isshin asked as Ichigo went inside to look for Ishida. He already smelt the air and knew that Rukia wasn't here.

Tatsuki was right; the house was all torn up. Entering the town house, the entrance of it looked as if a tornado passed through; coats on the floor and shoes littered the grounds. He scowled at the thought of how the rest of the house might look like.

He followed Ishida's scent as he went through the house, the couches were ripped apart, fluff from the inside spilled as if they were guts, broken glass everywhere, chaos was an appropriate word to describe the home.

When he arrived to the second floor living room, Ishida was there with his back turned to Ichigo. A stern frown on his face as he studied a painting, shredded apart but not so much that one couldn't pull the strips back to its original form and not tell what the painting was. "Rukia-san," Ishida started, "she was placed inside this painting."

"What are you saying?"

"For her protection, Kuchiki-san placed Rukia-san inside this painting, only his wand can take her out of the painting."

Relief filled him, "So, Rukia is alright then?"

"I don't know," The elf answered honestly, "I would think she is but…something is off."

"Don't fuck with me, elf boy."

"Never," he replied curtly, "just look at the painting. I remember when Kuchiki-san sent Rukia-san inside the painting, I could see her form, as tiny as it was, and she became part of the painting, only alive. Now, I can't see her anywhere."

"She could be in the castle." Ichigo urged.

"A castle that is demolished?"

"She's a smart girl!" The werewolf barked, "She'll stay inside until it's safe." His old friend glanced over his shoulder and gave an exasperated look. "Or…she could do what she always does and investigate and somehow get into trouble and…fuck."

"Now you know why I am worried. I already called Kuchiki-san, he should be here soon."

There was a shuffle of steps behind the two and Keigo appeared, holding something in his hand, "Here, we found this in the living room." Rukia's wand, the sturdy delicate rod of wood was snapped apart…useless. "It doesn't look like an accident."

"Seems like they want Rukia-san to be powerless," Frowning, Ishida took the pieces, "There isn't going to be a way to fix this, better for her to get a new one."

"Was anything else broken," Ichigo asked, "besides her wand?"

The satyr nodded, "Her broom is gone, set on fire," It was true, in the closet where the broom was stored; it and the rest of the items in the closet were set on fire. It looked like it was set on fire with a match and some fuel. "But her purse was not harmed, just thrown aside."

"Of course, you need magic to open the bag–no magic, no opening the bag." Ichigo stated. "So, this has Espada all over it. There isn't any smells, everything looked like it was done by hand and house hold items."

"It could've easily been vampires." Ishida said.

Pulling out a cigarette, Ichigo lit it and shook his head, "No, from what Renji told me, Byakuya left here around midnight, Renji was here until 2, give or take, before he went to my office at the police station. Then, according to Honshō Chizuru, the station's only witch, the lock spell that Byakuya placed on the house was recently removed an hour ago."

"It would be four," suggested Keigo, "meaning it couldn't be vampires since it would be cutting close to daylight, and once again, they stole nothing and there was nothing to hunt and drink in here."

In the cloud of smoke he realized, Ichigo glimpsed at the stairs with a harsh scowl on his face, moments later Byakuya appeared. "Move," he said as he went to the painting and took out his wand. "_Restituoum_." The painting became alive, twisted and stirred, rolling itself back into place. "_Vestibulum elit a Rukia_," the wizard said.

From the painting, like a whip of air, luggage and books fell out, other belongings of Rukia's as well like her brush and a rouge t-shirt but there was no Rukia.

The room went cold and Byakuya went into a silent fury, "_Vestibulum elit a Rukia_." He said again and waited.

Nothing came out from the painting.

"That was supposed to bring Rukia out…" Byakuya's frown became deeper and he scowled, "_Locum me secundum occasum_!" And with that Byakuya was gone.

"Fuck!" Ichigo grunted as he skimmed the room, "Where the _fuck_ did he go!"

"In the painting," From behind of them, Isshin stood, "He went looking for Rukia-chan. But from my conclusion, I would say she isn't in the painting."

A gush of wind came from the painting and Byakuya appeared, "I want a search party for Rukia now."

"One is already assembled and ready to depart," Isshin said, "We won't stop until Rukia-chan is back under our protection."

"I'll go look for her too," Ichigo announced as he began to leave, "Keigo, do not leave here until you think you've got every bit of evidence you can get."

"Got it."

"Ishida, keep me posted." With that, Ichigo was down the stairs and out the door, already taking the reek of the city to find that one pleasant scent that belonged to his mate.

* * *

**A/n: Tada, hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Please review and see you next month! **


	24. Chapter 23

**Howdy, hope everyone is having a wonderful month. **

**Anyways, here is the new chapter. I hope everyone likes this one more than the last. I do wonder if I am doing a good job, the last chapter did not get a lot of reviews so I'm assuming I'm doing something wrong or you guys are losing interest. **

**Oh, and **_**J. Walker **_**thank you for your review, I thought it was hilarious and made me smile. **_**GuessWho**_**…um, I don't know why I like to leave most of my chapters as cliffhangers but it seems to keep people wanting more. So, :D.**

**Anyways, I would love if you guys review telling me if you like what I am doing or if you don't, kindly tell me what you are having issues with. Am I getting too much into detail, is the plot seems confusing, etc. I would love to hear from you guys.**

* * *

_**Chapter 23**_

_**Men**_

"Men are idiots." Rukia looked up to the woman who was teaching her how to create a fire using only her wand. Miyako Shiba, wife of Kaien Shiba, seemed to be upset with her husband. "No good until they're thirty."

"I thought you married Master Kaien when you both were twenty-four?"

"Yes, we did, which is why I am telling you all men are idiots and no good until they're thirty." Rukia looked at the woman who was kind and motherly, confused at what she was saying. "Men are animals; beasts and even beasts don't behave as badly as they do." She huffed.

"Did Master Kaien do something to upset you again?"

"No," She said, "I'm just telling you: men are idiots. So, don't expect them to know everything about you, don't expect them to solve all your problems, and don't expect them to be a prince charming on a white horse. If you do, your relationship will fall and crumb.

"Do not let them protect you, make sure he knows you can stand on your own two feet, you can protect yourself and him. Fight and don't become submissive. Men, even if all are beastly as they can be, are simply given a bad name; but only most are simply given a bad name while the rest are truly disgusting, arrogant beasts.

"Men…most would want to protect but not all will protect, since if they do want to be our protectors who will protect us from them? Most would want a woman to stand by their sides, to comfort them outside the public eyes. Men are not soft, they are hard and jagged, and they need women even if they don't want to admit it."

Miyako looked down at her own wand, the wavy fine wood rested in her hand. "Like our wands, boys are pieces of wood and it takes a woman–be it their mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, lover, girlfriend, wife–to shape and enchant these pieces of wood to become powerful wands." Miyako stopped and looked over at Rukia, she smiled and rubbed the young witch's head, "Hm…I wonder where I was going with all of this. Even if I say all men are idiots…we are idiots as well for wanting to be with one."

"So, we are equals?"

"Yes, most men will let their opinions be influenced at least by one woman in their life, and that woman is usually their most important person."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia looked over the statue's hands she climbed, and stood while she balanced herself as best as she could. "Why do I do this to myself?" She asked aloud, "I could very easily look for someone to do this for me. Make my life much easier…"

At the edge of the hands, water gushing between her legs, Rukia reached up to touch the orb. Unsure of what would happen when she does, hesitant as she does, feeling the smooth water glide over her hand. She probed the fragile sphere and she pushed harder, her whole hand going through the clear surface and she saw the center that was once cloudy become fair and there it was.

In the center, another talisman floated calmly. She reached further in and grabbed the talisman, glancing around she paused to wonder what would happen if she pulled the talisman out. "It is simply another step forward," She said.

Tightening her fist, Rukia pulled the stone charm out of the sphere, surprised at how easy it was and the momentum of her pull, Rukia fell backwards into the pool once again. She surfaced, immediately feelings relaxed and began to swim away. Near the edge, she pulled herself up and looked behind her.

The sphere of the hands cradled, the water falling from the sky gradually decrease and Rukia saw the sphere melt into liquid and pooled into the palms of the hands. She held up the charm she acquired, it was the same as the first one she got. Same material, same shape but when she turned it over to see the front, the symbol was different.

A delicate etching of the moon was drawn there. There was a flutter behind her and she turned to see the animal part and stare at her. In the midst of them the black smoke reappeared once again. It began to move and she quickly followed, not protesting unlike last time.

Before she left, up in the sky, she took another glance and saw the moon hanging right above her. A white moon, full and gleaming with its reflection held by the still spring water. She took the connection this land had with the moon and was worried of what consequence might transpire.

They walked and she used her fingers to memorize the contour of the moon, amazed that these little stone talismans that seemed so fragile were such powerful items–or she was assuming since she never actually discovered what they were used for. However, seeing that sphere break she simply suspected it.

Disgruntled, she was hoping it wouldn't disappear on her again- but it did. She paused, confused that it left her in the forest and she would be lying if she didn't admit she was angry it did. Where was she supposed to go now? Where was her prison her father locked her up in?

"Should have known," She said sternly, scolding herself and ambled her way straight ahead. The stone charm being held firmly in her hand and she felt the power it flowed between it and her. With the coursing stream of energy, she felt her tattoos tingle again. Her white slopes of ink became brighter and brighter with every surge of strength she pumped into the stone charm, giving her a tingling sensation.

"You should be paying more attention," Rukia stopped dead in her tracks and twisted towards the voice. A frown pressed determinedly on her face, "You don't seem happy to see me."

"Why would I?" She countered, "As far as I am concerned, you have been an annoying pest in my path."

"Still a cold hearted bitch, che, I'm not surprised. Especially after we saw what Aaroniero tried to do to you, and you fucked him up instead." He saw the confusion in her glare and smirked, "Aaroniero has the ability to share his memories, so before he died he shared his last memory of you with us."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"Will you be able to fend me off," From the shadows he stepped forward, "because I'm hell of fucking stronger than him."

"I do not know. Let us find out, shall we?"

"Never afraid are you little Kuchiki Rukia?"

"Against a _little_ kitty like you? Never."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"It's already sunset…fuck!" Ichigo barked.

They've been looking for a little over twelve hours non-stop. He had his best scouts searching the city while Byakuya had witches and wizards alike in the sky looking for her.

From his pocket, he heard his cell phone ring. Pulling it out he briefly saw Keigo's name on the screen. "What is it? You found her?"

"No, but we found the rest of Kuchiki-chan's belongings. They're all burnt, none useful anyways. Even her stuff in her home in D.C and her stuff in England: all is gone."

"Okay, keep me up to date." Hanging up, Ichigo smashed his fist against the wall, again and again until he felt his bone crack from the pressure. People around him stopped to stare but did nothing to help. They kept walking along, ignorant like always.

He didn't understand what they were trying to do. Burn Rukia from existence? They know where she lived, they know too much. They must know she was alone, unprotected and ready to be snatched. "I need to find her."

He went searching again, this time stopping when the moon was high in the sky, the night only a bit quieter. The street corner he stopped at was near a pub and his nerve itched for a drink and for a cigarette.

Too many senses were conflicting itself within him and none were what he wanted. "Come Rukia." He spoke as he stared at the moon, "Give me a sign. Where are you, Rukia?" In the midst of the reek of the pub there was a hint of vanilla and sunflowers. Two scents that belong nowhere near here.

Turning to look behind him, he scowled when he saw both of his younger sisters racing up to him, calling his name. "What are you two doing here! It's dangerous here! Go home!" Didn't you see the bars, pubs, and drunk ass wipes here?

"Cool it, Ichi-nii!" Karin barked back, "Our old man sent us since your phone is dead." Ichigo checked and she was right, his phone was dead. "Not our fault you decided to stop here. Or what were you going to do? Get drunk?"

"Shut it," Ichigo growled at her before he turned to Yuzu, "Did they find her?"

"No," the youngest sibling said, "Rukia-nee is still missing but Daddy wants you back at the hotel."

"There's news about where she's at. Found out a couple of minutes ago before we left to look for you. Uryu, Chad, and Renji already left." Karin nodded, "Come on."

Together they headed to the hotel, Ichigo keeping an eye on his sisters until they were out of the red-light district of drunks and criminals. They reached the hotel where Isshin was waiting and ushered them in.

"Damn it, boy next time notice and charge your phone when it dies!" The _Alpha _wolf led his children downstairs, in the basement where there were many doors set up, all leading to a certain area in the magic realm.

"Do you know where Rukia's at?"

"Ishida got a call." Isshin answered. "Going by what she said."

"By who?"

"Inoue Orihime."

Ichigo didn't know how to feel about that. Inoue has been trying to get with him since he was in school, but why would she lie? She's not the evil type or the vengeance type, so maybe what she is saying is true.

Isshin stopped in front of a new door, one that Ichigo had never seen before in all of his time here. "When did we–"

"Kuchiki-san created this when he heard what Inoue said." Isshin turned to direct his daughters away as he still continued to talk to Ichigo. "It will lead you to the Valley of Satin, which is actually just another forest. Are you ready, Ichigo?" Isshin turned and found his son gone and the door opened, grinning slightly as he shut the door. "Impatient boy…he's your son, Masaki."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"_I am very much in trouble_."

These thoughts echoed in Rukia's mind as she ran away from Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. She heard the were-jaguar close behind her, a hair thread away and she was positive the only reason why she wasn't caught yet was for the small dosage of magic she preformed.

Whispers left her mouth, "_Spirantumprotegantem_," She'll say as her free hand touched anything in reach, may it be trees, branches, the ground, or even the wind, to come under her control and try to slow down Grimmjow's pursuit, curling around him, pulling against the powerful creature.

There was a sharp slash of air above her head and the trees around her fell apart in clean slices. She swore and continued to run faster, her hand filled with magic but uncontrollable without her wand. Streams of reiryoku flee from her fingertips and she blasted a final spell of energy, colliding with Grimmjow and sending him back. "_F__latu__sm__virtus_!"

Even with that direct hit, she didn't stop the movement of her feet and she let out a large gasp when she, herself, crashed into a body. Rukia landed on top of the new body and she didn't bother to look at who it was for she got up and took the person's hand and dragged them behind her. "Run!"

"Why?" The person asked in a high-pitched voice, "Kuchiki-san?"

"I am being chased," Rukia said and glanced behind her, "Inoue, as soon as you see an opening you must leave my side, do you understand?" When there was no answer, the nymph took another quick glance behind her and saw the wide brown eyes of the siren. "Do you?" She stressed.

"Y-yes!" Inoue, keeping up with the black haired woman pulling her along. She heard the growls from behind. Animalistic and dangerous, she didn't dare to look. She feared if she did, she would be killed.

"Good," Rukia let go of Inoue's hand and continued to run and defend.

Inoue's hand, now free, felt cold. The siren stared at the back of the nymph, taking her in. Her dress tattered, her hair long and tangled, a sheet of sheer sweat laced on her skin, in one hand she held something for dear life, making her knuckles white while her other hand emanated reiryoku. She was bloody, Inoue saw the bottom of Rukia's feet were bleeding and looked raw, she had a bruise on her arm, and she was covered in dirt and was bleeding from her lips–as if she, herself, bit her lip.

The free hand straightened and Rukia turned, "Now!" She said and sent a blast the moment Inoue leaped out of the way. "Run and do not look back!" Inoue heard and she did as she was told to.

The floral skirt Inoue had on tangled with her legs, her hair that was up in a loose ponytail came undone, the small purse she carried hit violently against her hip, and her face flushed red.

Inoue stopped running when she tripped over a tree branch; she lay on the floor terrified and guilty. She ran away, selfishly thinking of only herself. Probing herself up by her elbows, she looked intently at the ground; beyond a few feet she heard the busy public park of the Valley of Satin realm. Lively even though it was close to sunset.

Children swinging away, climbing on the jungle gym, playing tag while their parents watched. Never did she think she would run into Rukia here, in the realm of greens and pixies, a secluded area in the dominion of magic. Especially after hearing she ran away and was locked away for protection once she returned.

Forcing herself to sit up, her long strands of orange hair had twinges, leaves, and dirt mixed within it. The pink purse she was carrying was in front of her, its contents slipped out of it. Amongst it was her cell phone, the pearly pink realm phone that shimmered in the ray of sun. With her heart pumping she lunged towards it and flipped it open, calling the one person that never once failed her: Ishida.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Blood left her forearm as Grimmjow stalked her, his tail whipping back and forth, a disgusting grin on his face. The scratch wasn't that deep but she felt the poison already spreading within her body. "When a lady says no, she means it." Rukia scowled at him.

It lingered there before it came closer, its eyes never leaving her before she saw the shift. Muscles uncoiling, hair retreating, bones cracking and remolding into a human form. "Really? Because all I'm hearing is 'yes'." The Espada stood in all his naked glory, undisturbed and cool as Rukia was. "You're not embarrassed?"

"Why would I?" She huffed.

"Normal women get scared or embarrassed when they see a naked man."

"Well," Rukia smirked, "I am not what one considers to be a 'normal' woman."

Grimmjow roared in laughter and leisurely circled Rukia, looking her up and down, "You truly are a strong woman, a woman that any man would be honor to call his."

"I am not a prize."

"Really," He got closer to her, felt the slight heat her body was creating before she made her reiatsu cold, "Because you sure in hell look like one." His hands went to grab her but she quickly moved away.

Without her wand or necklace she was in total defense, she knew it and so did he. The same as they both knew he was playing with her. When he tried to grab her, she spun around and flipped backwards until she got a good distance between them. Many times he was less than an inch from her, where she could feel his reiatsu crawling on her. The only time she attacked was when he succeeded in grabbing her by the shoulder and she sent an angled kick to his face.

In her hand, the talisman constantly beat with energy.

He grinned wildly at her and licked the shallow cut she made while she ignored the throbbing pain in her foot. "Now, how would this fight be if you actually had your wand…your weapon? Oh I know," He moved so quickly, flashed stepped in front of her and grabbed the hand that had the talisman, "It'll be the fucking same." He whispered.

A rush of wind met his naked body and Rukia once again distanced herself away from him. This time, however, without the stone relic in her hand. "Let's see how far you can go, witch."

In hand-to-hand combat, Grimmjow threw hits, kicks, and attacks with ease. Rukia blocked, moved, and avoided in every possible way she could; however, she could do that with every single attack he threw.

The sound of his fist meeting her arm was gruesome, Rukia felt blinding pain as the bone cracked. His leg striking at her side, threw her across the grounds they fought and her body collided against a tree.

Reiryoku collected into one of his hands, claws grew larger and power filled each nail, then with an effortless swipe he sent an attack at her. With nothing to counter it, Rukia set up a shield, the ice cracked but kept its form around her.

Another strike, another crack.

This persisted until her shield was finally broken and her back was press tightly against the tree. Rukia glared at Grimmjow who still was undaunted, her hand went up when he was about to send an assault and she sent a strike herself.

"!"

The fireball was large, flaming blue in the middle as it hit its mark. The were-jaguar roared but didn't move. He kept still and when the fires extinguished he looked as if he was enjoying himself even with the extremely bad burns on his body and his hairs burnt off. The Espada simply rolled his neck, cracking it in place, and slowly began to regenerate. "Such fire," He stepped forward and saw Rukia cradling the hand she used to send that spell. "Che, you even burned your own hand.

"But I must say, that was very impressive, most wouldn't survive an attack like that." He was now an inch away from her again. Looking down and reaching up to touch her hair, he brushed it away to see her face. "What now?"

"I will leave." Rukia said and faded into the tree.

Grimmjow looked around and growled in pleasure, the hunt was still on. "Come out where ever the fuck you are!"

"_No thank you, my good sir_." Rukia thought as she left the tree nearby and entered another. As she escaped, or at least tried to, he was right behind her, she knew it.

With her blood in the air she was easy to find.

She heard the growl and did the stupidest thing ever, in her opinion, and looked back. Tackled to the floor, she laid there with the naked Espada on top of her, his hand clamped on her mouth to stop her from saying any spells.

Breathing hard, her chest would raise and momentarily touch his. She noticed he was nearly fully healed from her earlier attack, his eyes stared into hers and he smiled. "I never had a woman fight me so much like you Rukia. Even now, you're fighting me."

Grimmjow kept his hand on her mouth, even when his flesh began to freeze from the cold Rukia was admitting. In such a useless position, Rukia calmed herself down and focused her energy by closing her eyes and breathing deeply. The were-jaguar perched an eyebrow at her and was about to snarl at her when she slapped him with her ice covered hand.

Ripping her mouth free from his clutch she pronounced loudly, "_Electricumpercutereum_!" Strikes of lightening burst from the clear sky and showered around them. Rukia used the distraction to push Grimmjow off of her and ran once again, her arm was full with pain and with the adrenaline rush down she felt the heated pain in her feet.

The lightening strike still continued to fall all over and she did her best to avoid them. She heard nothing behind her and thinking it was safe, she stopped and looked. There was nothing there, she nodded in satisfaction and was about to return to running but instead bumped into something.

She stared hard into the chest and slowly looked up to the face of another Espada with his short pink hair and crazed gaze. "Well, hello there, do you mind if I dissect you?"

"Yes, I do mind." She backed away and bumped into another wall of flesh, she didn't need to turn around to tell who it is.

"Looks like you're trapped, princess." Grimmjow said behind her, "No more with these petty games, it's time to take you–"

"Step away from Rukia-san!"Arrows and bullets shot past Rukia as both Espada jumped out of the way. "Get over here," Ishida's voice was firm and she quickly did what he said. The elf took a quick glance at Rukia and frowned profoundly at her state. "Are you alright Rukia-san?"

"Yeah,"

"Chad, can you take Rukia back?" Renji asked as he handed Rukia her purse, "Eat a lollipop."

Chad nodded at Renji's request and took Rukia in his arms even as she muttered that she could walk herself. The giant heard none of it and began to run towards the portal. Protecting Rukia, getting her back to Ichigo would be a huge relief not only for Ichigo but also for everyone.

"They're getting away, Grimmjow!" Szayel Aporro Granz shouted.

"No shit!" The other Espada laughed, "Here," Grimmjow threw the talisman he took from Rukia, "You can handle these dip-shits, right?"

"No shit!" Szayel mimicked Grimmjow's earlier response.

"Good." The were-jaguar sped past Renji and Ishida.

"Wait!" Renji yelled out, about to chase after him and stop the Espada but Szayel jumped in front of him and gave a smirk.

"Now, where do you think you're going? We're just getting started."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Please, put me down, I can walk fine!" Rukia said as she struggled in Chad's massive arms.

"I'm sorry Kuchiki-san, but I need to make sure you're either in the hotel or in Ichigo's arms."

Rukia gasped, almost offended by what he said, "And why is that?"

"Because if there is one person in this universe that will keep you safe, it'll be your mate."

"I do not agree with that statement."

"It's a fact," the giant smiled; after all, Rukia does say the silliest proclamations he ever heard, in his humble opinion.

Rukia was about to open her mouth and further disagree with him but instead halted and grew silent. After a few seconds she propped herself up and looked over Chad's shoulders, feeling incredibly tiny in comparison of his massive shoulder. Her eyes widened and her hand was already aiming, "_Sedaseraum_!"

A single bolt of lightning left her palm and hit the were-jaguar. Chad immediately dropped Rukia, turned and hit Grimmjow across the face. "I need to get you out of here, now." He started running now but was no match for Grimmjow; the were-jaguar jumped and sank his teeth in Chad's neck. Rukia could barely send a blast to remove the were off of Chad before the poison could begin to spread.

On the ground, Rukia made her way to Chad, checking his wound and glad that she was right, no poison was admitted. Chad got up, apologized for dropping Rukia and turned towards Grimmjow, his arm up and ready to fight.

Since he was in his were form, Grimmjow's tail wiped back and forth and he grinned at them. "We should run." Rukia declared to Chad.

Grimmjow sprang forward, Chad sent a blast from his fist, calm and collective but Grimmjow was fast. He avoided and went for the kill, luckily Chad saw this and moved to block. However the hit got him and the full-scale of the blast still sent him back and knocked him out. Even at his state of unawareness, Grimmjow was about to go in the kill if it wasn't for Rukia who sent a ball of ice at him.

"You will not kill him as long as I am here!" Rukia hissed.

The Espada simply whipped its tail and decided to go closer to Rukia, assertive even if Rukia's palm was stretched out. He changed back to his human form, bones cracked, hair moved, ligaments and tendons shifted.

He kicked her hand away and she winced, "You're tired, aren't you? I can see it. Unleashing so many spells, uncontrollable since you don't have your wand, you've been exuding more reiatsu then necessary, huh, Miss Rukia?"

He pushed her down and was on top of her, Grimmjow smiled and shook his head, "What are you going to do now? You can't run away because if you do, I'll kill your friend here. So," His hand gripped her shirt, "why don't you come with me?"

Every option she tried to consider floated in front of her head but none would work. She was weak, Chad was down and if she ran Chad will be killed. Then Ishida and Renji were too far away and they were fighting against an Espada as well.

She would have to do as he said.

"What will it be?" He asked.

A cold wisp of breath left her mouth and slowly, unwillingly, she began to nod her head but was interrupted by the sound of a growl and bullets, once again, passed by her path of vision. Her eyes swiftly turned and met with Ichigo's, and when it did she felt secure and safe and stronger.

She wasn't alone, Ichigo was here with her.

"Hands off my mate, Grimmjow!" Gun in hand and a furious glower on his face, Ichigo shot twice more, getting Grimmjow in the arm.

"Son of the bitch!" The Espada got off of Rukia to Ichigo's satisfaction and greatest displeasure when he noticed Grimmjow was on top of _his _mate naked.

Grimmjow didn't seem to notice and looked at Ichigo with a grin, "What can't share your mate?"

"Fuck no." Ichigo took a glance at Chad and then at Rukia, meeting her eyes, "_Are you alright_?" The look said, filled with concern as he saw the wounds she gained. She nodded and got up to move away from the fight and to check on Chad. Since she was carried for only a few minutes, it was as if she was stepping on fire as she walked over to Chad.

"Well then, let's finish what we started." Grimmjow growled, "Winner gets the girl."

Rukia scoffed at that, like hell she'll be a prize. "Like I'll lose to the likes of you." Ichigo answered effortlessly and Rukia glared at the back of his head.

The slick gun in Ichigo's hand turned into his sword while Grimmjow's nails grew in length. Both watch each other's moves, ready to attack and it was Grimmjow that made the first move.

Jumping forward, he thrust his claws but was blocked by Ichigo's sword. He threw his other fist and cut Ichigo's clothing. Soon after, the real battle began. Attacks were sent, aerial and ground alike, blasts of energy met and power flared from their weapons. They initiated strikes after strikes; they landed hits on one another.

However, neither had yet landed a real wound on the other. Sitting on the ground, watching them fight and attack, both tied and Rukia realized that Grimmjow wasn't fighting at full capacity.

Ichigo sent a blast of energy from his sword. The black went and met Grimmjow's skin, placing the first wound in this battle. Grimmjow looked down, shocked that he was hit. The slice was deep and wide on his chest.

The Espada, still in a small stupor, erupted free and went on a slaughtering rage against Ichigo. Making all of his attacks stronger than the last, so much that Ichigo couldn't keep up anymore. A blow to the face and another to the hand, Ichigo's sword flew feet away from him.

The werewolf cursed and decided it would better to shift into his were-form, however before he could Grimmjow went for another attack. Ichigo eyes widened, knowing he was not going to be able to block the attack.

Rukia moved before she could think about what she was going to do. Her eyes stared into Grimmjow's, a small gasp left her mouth, her arms hanged by her sides and she felt Ichigo's presences behind her.

Grimmjow's hand impaled itself in her small abdomen; her hands reacted and in vain, tried to stop his hand from going deeper into her. From behind her, barely, she believed she heard Ichigo call her name. Grimmjow shook his head at her again and tsked, "Always getting in the fucking way," he lifted her up only with his hand inside of her and threw her aside. Blood pouring intensely from her wound and his hand covered in her blood.

The smell of blood was thick in the air, invading Ichigo's nose. He didn't see how Grimmjow hurt her but he smelled it, God did he smell it. It rushed over him, it overpowered him and he felt panic sink into him. "Rukia…Rukia!"

He couldn't see the pain on her face but he saw the stream of red leaking from her stomach, the small nymph whimpered and gasped in pain when she tried to move.

The Espada scoffed and looked unmoved by Ichigo's yell, "Will you shut up? Not like I killed her; since I do need her alive. Anyways, this way she won't get in the way when I actually do kill–"

"We're leaving." Szayel appeared, clearly upset as well that they had to leave, "We got orders."

"Well shit," Grimmjow looked over at Ichigo who already gathered Rukia in his arms, shaking as he cradled her. "Until we meet again; oh, and don't worry, next time I'll take little Rukia with me."

"Don't you–" Ichigo began to yell but only saw air; they already left.

* * *

**Tada, I mean come on, who did not see that coming? Rukia always getting into trouble, we all know this. Anyways, please remember to review and tell me what you think. I would love to hear your guys' opinion. **

**Thank you for reading and review, please and thank you!**


	25. Chapter 24

**Hey everyone, here's Chapter 24 and guess what, this is the second year anniversary of my fic! :D Can you believe it? Two years! **

**Thank you everyone for everything and all your guys support! **

**I even went back to look at the couple of fanart some readers did for me and I can't believe there is fanart for my fic. I mean, I believe my fic is alright in my standards but knowing that you guys love it so much and willingly drew art for it makes my day every time I see them. Thank you. **

_**Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky **_**don't worry, after this chapter the next three-ish chapters will be FILLED with fluff and lemons; loads of lemons…as a reward/gift you guys for staying with me for so long. :] I'm so excited because I'm currently finishing chapter 27 and starting 28 maybe tomorrow. I can say this fic will either end in one more year, so 12-ish chapters left. **

_**Infienight **_**thank for your review, I'm sad that my fics makes you stay up at night but I am also glad that it does. Thank you for your support, it means a lot to me. **

_**Asagi Kikano**_**, I know you are an avid reader of mine, friends have mentioned your support for my fic and it's really wonderful and thank you. This chapter, the second year anniversary chapter, is dedicated to you. Thank you and please review more often, I love to see what you think on my chapters. **

**Enjoy everyone!**

* * *

_**Chapter 24**_

_**Luck**_

_Some people are born with luck on their sides: getting good grades, victorious in contests, winning money, born into good fortunate, and some other bullshit._

_I am not one of those people, fuck luck I prefer to make my own. _

_I studied to get good grade in school and tried my best to not fuck around. I tried in every contest I enter; I wanted to earn those awards. I practice gambling even if I hate gambling. Then, even if my father is Alpha of our pack, I needed to battle my way through pack members to become _beta_. _

_I won because of my strength, determination, and resolve. Not because of luck._

_I like to believe I make my own luck, I control my destiny and fate, but even so, I cannot believe my "luck" when I discover who my mate was. I never thought that these feelings that emerge inside of me could be so easily created when she enters my mind. _

_Maybe, luck can run both ways. _

~o~o~o~o~o~

"How is she?" Isshin looked over at Ishida Ryuken, head Others doctor and Uryu Ishida's father.

The withered man with his white hair and square glasses looked like an older replica of Uryu. "Your son brought her in almost dead." The older elf caught sight on the werewolf's face but reassured him. "She's fine even if I'm not even sure how she survived." Ryuken said, fixing his tie.

"Is she awake?"

"Yes, she woke up immediately after the sleeping spell came off. The magic enhanced her healing process; I would say she's going to need to stay in the hospital for more than two week, maybe seventeen days, before she can be released."

Isshin grinned at his old friend and patted his back, to Ryuken's annoyance, "That's because Rukia-chan is a fighter! She won't give up to easily!"

While Isshin was boasting on about his future daughter-in-law, Ryuken shook his head and looked around. He finished doing surgery on the young nymph, five hours of stitching her up and placing healing incantation on her and he was stunned that only Isshin was here waiting outside Rukia's door. "Which reminds me, where is your son? I thought since she's his mate, he wouldn't leave."

"Ichigo and Kuchiki-san were both kicked out for disturbing the peace." The _Alpha _laughed. "They both began to argue how it was the others fault that Rukia-chan was in here."

"So, they both were being idiots."

"Yes, so let's go tell them the good news." Isshin and Ryuken walked to the waiting room, Ryuken told Ishida, Renji, Momo, and Rangiku of Rukia's condition but none were going to be able to see her until tomorrow. All reluctantly obeyed the doctor's orders and they left the hospital.

Ichigo and Byakuya were outside, both not talking to the other but both steaming with anger. Ichigo had a furious scowl on his face and smoking intensely, and Byakuya was silent and patiently waiting, looking impassive as he held a conversation with Yoruichi and Urahara.

"You have no idea how she could have escaped the painting?" Urahara asked, tipping his bucket hat up.

"No, I don't. I checked the painting myself and felt no other magic presence coming off of it."

"She also didn't have her wand, so she couldn't cast a spell." Yoruichi said.

"We'll have to ask her once she awakes." Urahara muttered as he covered his eyes with his hat, "We also need to think of another place to keep her safe, maybe even some bodyguards."

"Dad!" Ichigo shouted when he saw his father and Ryuken opening the back door of the Others hospital that was disguised as a small family clinic. "Rukia?"

Ryuken nodded at Ichigo and waited for Byakuya to come forward, he was her father and deserved to hear what he was going to say. "Miss Kuchiki's operation was a success, she's fine and awake." Ryuken led all of them back inside the hospital, ignoring the nurse who threw Ichigo and Byakuya out. Back to Rukia's room where she awake and waiting, Ryuken told Byakuya that he may go in first, then Ichigo could go afterwards before he left to check on some other patients.

"What?" Ichigo barked as Byakuya entered Rukia's room.

"Let it go, son." Isshin said.

"But Rukia–"

"Will still be there after Kuchiki speaks with her first." Isshin reasoned and looked over at Urahara and Yoruichi. "Are you two going to stick around?" The odd couple shook their head, content to know Rukia was fine and well for now. They agreed to meet up again, after all they had children at home in need of their parents.

Isshin kept his son company, waiting for Byakuya to come out of Rukia's room. The werewolves thought Byakuya was going to be there for a long time but only a few minutes passed before the door opened and he bowed to both Kurosakis, even to go as far as to thank Ichigo for saving his daughter's life.

There was shock on Ichigo's face as Isshin waved the American representative goodbye. "I guess I'll take my leave, I convinced Ryuken to let you stay here for as long as you like."

"Thanks pop."

Isshin patted Ichigo's back and left with a frown on his face. Losing Rukia, this time was too much of a close call. The _Alpha _decided it was time to take more control over this matter.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"You have not said anything yet." Rukia stated to Ichigo, watching him as he stood and looked at her. He wasn't smoking but she caught the smell of it in the air around him.

"How are you feelings?" He finally asked. His heart squeezed as he studied her. In her hospital gown, delicately sitting up, she would shift slightly to rid the pain in her abdomen. She was lucky that the operation and combined magic would heal her right up. There were bandages covering her upper arm while the other arm had elastic bandages compressing it.

The palm of one of hands had a red tinged to it, healing from the burn her spell gave her. Bandages were gently wrapping around her head. She was still slightly pale from the lost of blood and she had a needle resting on top of her hand.

"Truthfully, I am fine. How about you?" She smiled as she took him in. There were no new wounds as far as she could tell. "I am glad you are not hurt." He frowned and his eyes gazed over and she frowned "What? Are you blaming yourself for my injuries now?" No answer from him made her scowl, "I did this because I wanted to. My injuries are at my own fault, not yours."

He mumbled in agreement but she knew he didn't take to heart her words.

Nothing was said for a long time.

Rukia sighed softly and stared out the window while Ichigo kept his eyes on her. "You know," she began, "you can always get stronger but even if you do, I will still try to fight. I always get in trouble, so I need to fight, Ichigo. You cannot always protect me and I do not want you to."

"But you shouldn't have to fight." He said. "I should be able to protect you."

"You did," Rukia whispered, "More than once. I am here, am I not? Alive, breathing, just currently stuck in a bed but I am fine. I am alive thanks to you."

"It's not enough." Ichigo shook his head, "You don't understand." He was vivid now, his nostril flared and his fist tightened. "I could've lost you tonight, Rukia!" Silence struck her and her mouth shut, "I almost did." He ran his hand through his hair, "What kind of mate am I? I can never protect you. You're always getting hurt, always bleeding…" his face was now calm, hard and sorrowful. "I keep thinking your dad is right. I can't protect you."

"Now you know how I feel." Ichigo stared at her, confused at her sudden declaration. Rukia's face was blank but her eyes were in frenzy. "You are always running into trouble without much thought of what you are getting yourself into. You are reckless, wild, hasty, rash, and careless. I see you cover in scars and I am reminded of this behavior of yours. How many times have you been close to death, Ichigo?"

Licking his lips at this question, Ichigo wanted to look away but couldn't. He was captivated by her. "Too many to count," he answered.

"Right." She nodded, "You want to protect me, Ichigo but have you realized that I, too, want to protect you." The impassive façade she learned from her years of being a Kuchiki broke into a small smile. "I wish to stand next to you."

Ichigo never felt like crying like he did now, he held back the tears and kissed his mate gently and then held her. Minding her head and arms, her scent calmed him. Holding her in his arms, Ichigo's drive to get stronger reinforced itself and he knew she was going to fight but so was he. They'll fight together, he decided, side-by-side.

"I promise Rukia, I will try my damndest to get stronger."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The young nymph stuck in bed heaved a sigh and closed her book. Alone in her room, she played with the tips of her hair and looked out the window. She smiled at the bare trees, slowly growing back their leaves as birds tweeted and rested on the branches.

The blue sky had spotted clouds, the sun was warm as it streamed through the window and hit her covered legs. The wind, it was cool and gently swept through her room and she embraced it. Being stuck in that lifeless painting had, she admitted to herself, made her fear being alone.

When she heard no sounds around her, she would start to panic and would call for the nurse, making up some excuse just so she can have a reminder that there was life, people around her and it was only her first night in the hospital.

It was already past noon, Ichigo, who brought her food, just left since his lunch break was over and he needed to go to work. He was here in the morning as well, brought her breakfast and promised that he'll see her every day, three times to make sure she eats. Even if she complained she wasn't hungry he would not hear it and command her to eat.

Her father hadn't come to see her yet. Last night conversation was brief, he only questioned how she escaped the painting and she told him everything under five minutes. He didn't say a word and said goodbye after she was finished.

There was a knock at her door and the nurse's face peered into the room, "Ah, Kuchiki-san, there is a visitor for you, should I let them in?"

"Yes, and thank you."

The nurse smiled bashfully and nodded, "Kuchiki-san is ready to see you."

"Morning Kuchiki-chan," From the door came Urahara, "May I come in?"

"Yes, of course." Rukia motioned with her hand at the chair in the corner, "have a sit if you like."

Urahara took the seat offered and placed his cane next to him on the wall. He cleared his throat, asked how she was doing and all that polite conversation started that normally passed through two people.

"Why are you here?" Rukia suddenly asked, "I am no fool, I know if you were truly concern with my well-being, you would have asked Ichigo, Isshin, Yoruichi-san even." Under her eyes, she studied him carefully, "So? Tell me. Why are you here?"

"Sharp," Urahara chuckled, "Ichigo-kun is going to have a hard time keeping up with you."

"You let us worry about that."

Tipping his hat back, Urahara grinned at her, untroubled and looked almost intrigued, "Your father mentioned to me what you told him last night."

"Did he now?" She mused, "When you say 'mention' do you mean, 'told you everything' or simply 'mention'?"

He barked another chuckle, "Can't give a man a break can you? But yes, he told me everything. Now, I must say, I want to know more." Urahara smirked, "Tell me everything you know."

"I already did. Do you not remember the day I came back and what my father told you already?"

"Yes, but I know you know more."

Rukia sat silently, "You are presumptuous in that I have not disclose some sort information with you. So please, excuse me as I decline the acquiesce of your offer and frankly say I have no idea what you are asking for since there is nothing to say."

"Such a sharp tongue," The old wizard chuckled to himself, "Then, how about I answer one of your question."

"There you going again, assuming things beyond your grounds."

"Kuchiki-chan…" He paused, wanting to grab her attention and interest, and he did when she propped an eyebrow, "I know you are wondering if you've become immortal or not."

Her mouth tightened, how did he know? She didn't mention anything to anyone, not even her father. "How?"

"I know many things, Kuchiki-chan and I know _this_ since, after all, it's not every day a person finds the Fountain of Youth."

_One week later_

"Moring, son."

"Howdy."

Ichigo stood at the doorway of his father's office where the two voices greeted him. His father was where he was supposed to be, behind his mighty desk with papers covering the surface and his stupid grin on his face.

But it was _her _who did not belong here.

When he entered the building, her scent hit him directly into his nose and at first he thought it was his mind playing a trick on him. She couldn't be here, he last seen her in the morning at the hospital and he was about to do another hour shift of work before going to her again with lunch in hand.

Ichigo shook his head, of course she wasn't here, she didn't belong here, at least not yet! Doubt plagued his mind, after he was so use to her scent he could just be missing her; however, he couldn't help his suspicion and followed the scent.

"What are you doing here, Rukia!" Ichigo roared.

"Speaking with your father of course," She answered as if his question was obvious. Not hiding the small smirk on her face and casually continued on sucking her damn lollipop.

"No, don't play stupid with me. What are you doing _here_? Why are you not at the hospital! And where are your guards!" Ichigo went on yelling, he glanced over what she was wearing and wanted to yell at her more. Once again, her champagne colored dress was too sheer and he worried that she might get a cold or the flu.

It was very windy today.

"He seems upset, Rukia-chan."

"Really? I would say he seems more furious than upset."

"I think you're right, Rukia-chan he does look furious, even turning red."

"Shut it, old man!" The _beta _wolf barked and looked back at Rukia who still stayed silent. "Rukia!"

"Hm?" Twirl went the lollipop again.

"Answer my questions!"

She sighed at him and got up, giving him a dull glare before turning to Isshin, "May I be excuse?"

The _Alpha_ laughed, "Of course, I don't mind at all. Oh, Ichigo. Rukia. Remember, I'll like to have some grandkids soon."

"Well, certainly Ichigo will…" Rukia's answer died off and she caught the grin passing between both werewolves. She huffed and stalked off, muttering light insults towards both werewolves, her cheeks flushed pink.

"Rukia." Her name was said sternly behind her, "Rukia!" He called out again and growled when she kept walking. "_Why does she always have to so fucking complicated! God–fucking–damnit_!" Yet he still craved to have her in his arms but how can he do that if she kept ignoring him.

As a mate to a werewolf, she must at least have the urged to return to him, to be surrounded in his warmth, and be pressed up against him. He was going to die soon and it was all because Rukia was depriving him of her taste and texture–again. Maybe Byakuya said something to Rukia that made her avoid him, that got to it, right?

After all, no one could forget Rukia's condition when he returned from the Valley of Satin. Body was tattered, she was pale and the flow of blood from her fatal wound on her stomach haunted him. She survived of course, but Ichigo and Byakuya had a good long hour of yelling at each other, which started in the hospital and led them to being kicked out.

About to grab her, he saw both Byakuya and Urahara with his wife, walking up. "Rukia," The old wizard called, his eyes neared, but inside he felt relief. When he got the call of Rukia not being in her room, he panicked but her doctor luckily told him that his daughter left a note saying she would be at the hotel. And lo to be hold, here she was, again, with that _beta _wolf. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Yoruichi shouted at Byakuya, "You can't take her again!" She moved her way in front of the wizard, "She will be in danger if you take her again, we need to make an agreement and decided where to put her. Set up security. Back-up plans!"

"You will be in danger if you do not move, Miss Yoruichi." Byakuya kept his face calm and serene even if underneath he was a bubbling pool of anger. He did not need to be told by this woman of his daughter's safety. His daughter's safety was his main concern and he doesn't feel assured if anyone else besides him kept his daughter safe.

He already saw what happened when that mutt tried to protect her, he does not need the anxiety. Rukia already told him how she escaped the painting, how she left this realm and went into the next. The next night, when he was free from his meetings, she told him about the talisman she lost to the Espada, and how she drank from the Fountain of Youth.

The thought that Rukia was going to be immortal frightened him. The wheel of life, the slow turning knobs and gears, she wasn't a part of it anymore. She would forever be a rock being hit by the ocean's waves, become a person isolated and alone, untouchable to Others and humans alike.

Vampires were only immortal as long as they drink blood. Vampires still had the choice to die.

Rukia didn't.

She lost it.

Still, as he looked at her, her eyes, her face, every single cell in her screamed Hisana, his precious wife. They both looked the same, only Rukia's was colour bold and strikingly beautiful while his Hisana was soft and a quiet beauty. What Byakuya needed to do was protect his pride, his only daughter, and he won't allow anyone to get in his way.

"Or you'll what?" She growled, "Don't forget, Little Byakuya, we both were the best in our class."

"Who said I ever forgot, Miss Yoruichi," He answered.

Rukia took a quick glanced between her father and mentor. Feeling the tension building up; however, before she could say anything she felt Ichigo staring at her, intensely, straight into her back.

He was angry, yes she wasn't surprise, Ichigo didn't like to be ignored but she knew if she talked with him, he'll try to blame her injures on himself again, like he did everyday he saw her in the hospital. Doesn't he understand that it was her choice to get in the way and that she didn't regret it.

She didn't die, so he and her father should let it go.

Wondering what he was going to do, her eyes shot wide open when she was turned and lifted off the ground. Suspense in the air, his arms around her form as he stood his full height, he said her name in her hair. He then whispered it in her ear, "You shouldn't be here, Rukia."

"Unhand my daughter, Kurosaki." Byakuya's chill voice brought Rukia back and she glared at Ichigo.

"No can do, Byakuya, I need to talk to Rukia. Anyways, you look busy fighting over who is going to protect Rukia, instead of actually protecting her."

"Did I not just demand you to unhand my daughter? She shouldn't be here, she should be in the hospital, in bed for at least another week."

Before he could answer and curse at Byakuya, Ichigo felt Rukia shift and push away from him. "Put me down," She said, matching her father's tone and glaring fiercely at him. "Now."

"_You orange hair baboon, let go of my pretty nee-san!_" Kon who was being carried by Urahara jumped down and bit Ichigo's shoe, growling until Ichigo pushed the loin away with his foot.

Annoyed at how she was still in his arms and that he just hurt Kon, Rukia bend her head down, allowing her lips to be close to Ichigo's ear, "If you do not put me down and apologize to Kon, I swear I will sell your family's jewel to the black market."

Looking at Rukia, then back to her father, Yoruichi and Urahara, Ichigo smirked and yelled, "Secure them!"

Rukia looked up when she heard a rustle and a woman's scream, scrunching her eyebrows when she saw pack members appear and surround them. She heard her name being yelled along with Ichigo's, she saw people passing by her, Byakuya and Yoruichi being tied up with invisible rope. Then, she noticed Ichigo was running, with her still in his arms and she asked with a bored expression that had a mixed of annoyance in it, "Am I being kidnapped?"

"Damn right, you are."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Here I thought you were more civil than to resort to kidnapping." Rukia muttered as she sat in Ichigo's car as he drove them to God knows where. Originally, she thought Ichigo was taking her back to the hospital for her to die of boredom; however, he instead drove them in the opposite direction.

Rukia kept her eyes fastened to the world beyond the window. She should have seen this coming; Ichigo was never one to follow orders, especially when they came into conflict with what he desired.

"Here I thought you remember I'm a werewolf; we're far from civil." Ichigo's hands grip the steering wheel, every so often his eyes would leave the road to look at Rukia. With every inhale he took, he could smell it. It was on her, lingering and mixing with her natural scent. Finally, when she brushed her hair back, the smell became slightly stronger that he did a sharp right turn.

His tires screeched, cars behind him honk and Rukia gave a not so lady-like grunt. "What are you doing?"

"Driving." He answered in the same tone she answered him earlier.

"I can see that, but what was with that turn? You could have killed us!" That was a full blown out lie, Ichigo would never do anything to endanger her, they both knew that. He loved her too much to put her in any real danger. She caught Ichigo's look and his smirk that had a mischievous twinge to it. "Fool."

"How do you know I'm the fool and not you?" There was another turn and Rukia began to recognize where they were heading.

"Because," She stopped and saw them pull up to his home, "I know you so very well."

The werewolf stepped out of his car and began to march forward only to stop when Rukia wasn't following him. "What's wrong, princess?"

"Do not call me 'princess,'" she said, still sitting in the car with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.

Annoyed, Ichigo went to get her, opened the car door and about to drag her out when he saw the small dot shaped bandage on her hand, where a needle was once resting. Rukia rolled her eyes at him and got out of the car and went into his home with him in tow.

"Now," Ichigo began as he shut his door and sat on his couch, "are you going to tell me how you're out of the hospital?"

"I snuck out of course," she said.

He groaned, "Then why are you out?"

"I was bored being in there and I do not want to be babysat by some of your pack members. I'm all healed up, not even a scar marries my skin and since the bottom of my feet healed up yesterday night, this morning I thought 'why not' and snuck out. I even was kind enough to leave a note." Rukia grinned at another groan he made as she went to his kitchen and rummaged through his fridge. "Ah, it seems you are impressive by my actions." Then, she stopped and looked around, "Did you clean up?"

"Yeah," He gruffly said, almost embarrassed, "You got a problem with it?"

"No." The answer was soft as she got a slice a pie and began to eat it with a glass of milk.

The truth, the reason why he cleaned his home was because when he took Rukia home, the most potent smell he wanted his nose to catch was hers and not his smoke or his pile of take-out food.

Ichigo freely looked intently at Rukia as she ate, he noticed that she wasn't as skinny as she was the day he saw her in Spain. She gained weight, more than the original weight she had when she came from D.C and that was mostly his fault.

Besides the medicine given to her to rebuild her strength and magic, every time he visited her in the hospital, he would bring her the most fatties, high calorie food he could find and make sure she ate all of it. This was routine of morning, afternoon, and night for eight days.

Three times a day he visited her, so what? She was his mate he answered to anyone that teased him.

"You are staring at me again."

"Why are your surprise, I'm always staring at you." He grinned at her when she frowned and looked away as he leaned back, sinking into his couch. After a moment he told her she gained weight, even went far to call her chubby even if she wasn't.

She stopped her eating and glared at him, "Do you have a problem with it?"

"No."

"Good," Rukia went back to eating, "since it is your fault I gained weight. I never met someone who wanted me to stuff my face. So, the day I am a round bouncy ball, blame yourself, then."

He laughed and she kept on eating.

"Rukia." She faced him, her hand on her glass of milk. "Can you tell me how you got out of the painting?"

"Can it not wait?"

"I've been waiting for a week."

In truth, she didn't want to tell him, if she did she would then have to explain everything, in much more detail than she wished. He said her name again and she agreed. "Death led me out."

"Death?" Ichigo growled, he didn't like the sound of "death" anywhere near his mate.

Rukia simply rolled her eyes at the growl, "Yes, Death, the Grim Reaper, Angel of Death, whatever name you wish to call it, it was the one that led me out of the painting…you have seen it around me right?" She asked, "The black mist, shadow that hangs around me."

"Yeah, I noticed." The werewolf mumbled, and Rukia explained when death began to follow her and how long it had, she even told him how it helped her gain energy from those who were about to depart. "How is that helping you!"

"I am weak, Ichigo, the Hōgyoku takes a lot of energy away from me. However, that is not much of a concern now."

He heard the sour tone of her voice, that soft muttered that he guess she was hoping he wouldn't have caught. However, he did, "Why's that?"

She took a deep breath and bit her lip, something she had to stop doing or else Ichigo was sure he was going to jump her. "How do you feel about immortality, Ichigo?" She suddenly said, making Ichigo's eyes drifted away from her lips and on to her eyes, once again.

"What?"

"Answer the question." Stumped at what she said she repeated and added on to it, "To be youthful, forever, how do you feel about that?"

"I wouldn't want it." He shook his head, "I don't want to look at life as it passes me by, I want to be a part of it. I want to grow old. I want to be old and say I accomplished something with my life and be able to look over at…you." He blushed but still looked confident as he went on, "Sure, since you're a nymph you'll age a bit slower than me, but I don't mind at all. Why are you asking? You already know I don't like it when you try to avoid _my _questions."

"It is not my fault you answer all the questions I throw at you." The corner of her mouth perked up a bit but then fell. "I fell into the Fountain of Youth while I was trying to obtain the talisman Death led me to…Grimmjow took the talisman away from me as you know."

"What?"

Rukia was back looking through his fridge and cabinets, mostly because she didn't want face him. "The Fountain of Youth, I fell into it."

His hands tightened at that, not believing what he heard. Did she drink from it? Was she immortal? Would she live beyond his death, never age and roam the earth forever. He wanted to scream, scold her for doing such idiotic thing but at the same time, he felt almost betrayed.

Hurt.

His emotions were racing, his thoughts halted and all he wanted to do was to get close as possible to her. He couldn't though, he might lose control so instead he whispered out, "And the other one along with the keys were stolen as well."

Rukia stopped her rummaging and blinked. Did she not just give those two items to the elder dragon to keep them safe and now there were gone! "What! How!"

"Do you want to be immortal?" Ichigo asked suddenly, his face still locked onto the ground and his heart pumping.

"Wha–of course not."

"Then why the fuck did you drink from the fountain!"

"I fell into the fountain!" She yelled back and saw the anguish in his face. She understood what he was trying to say. "I did not do it on purpose, I did not do it so I can live longer than you and not…it does not even matter."

"How does it not matter!" Ichigo shot up and rushed to the kitchen, corning Rukia into a corner, glaring into her. "How does_ that_ not matter?" He asked again.

Rukia frowned and took a deep breath. However, not even that calmed her down a smidgen. Instead, her eyebrows drawn together and she crossed her arms. "Why are you getting upset with me?"

"Because you're immortal and going to leave me behind!" He yelled and slammed his fist above her, causing a dent but she didn't flinch. "Rukia," Her name slipped his lips and he closed his eyes.

"Ichigo, I am not–" His arms encircled her body and brought her close, his heart pounding and his body numbed. He wondered how she must be feeling. Living forever but alone, what cruel irony was that? The scent that comforted him swam through his body, her scent.

Rukia was still Rukia, mortal or not, this woman was his mate.

What was he thinking, Rukia would not do this on purpose. It was an accident, one that they have to live with. He will still love Rukia even after he dies and every time he was reborn.

She mumbled something against his chest that he understood and she pushed against him, "Ichigo," She looked up at him, "You are not even listening. I am _not_ immortal."

"What?" He squawked out.

"I am _not_ immortal." She stressed out, "Jumping into conclusion before I tell you something is not a virtue, Ichigo." He, without much warning, slumped against her and she squeaked, "Ichigo." The pressure was too much. His weight was too much that her feet gave out and she fell onto the floor with Ichigo on top of her, "Ichigo!"

"Fuck," He chuckled into her hair.

"Of all things to say," She grunted, "You are heavy." There was no movement from him except for the rising of his chest breathing in and out. Grumbling, Rukia sifted her legs around, propping them up and over his thighs. "Ichigo."

"Why didn't you say that first?" His voice grumbled.

"You did not allow me to, fool."

He leaned back and looked down at her, "Are you certain?"

Sweeping her hand through her hair, brushing the long locks away she nodded her head. "At first I was not too certain about it myself, but I then spoke to Urahara and he confirmed it for me. My body with the Hōgyoku being its carrier will not get affected by these things. The power of the Fountain, as strong as it was, instead, became absorbed into the Hōgyoku."

"Ah," He wrapped his arms around her waist and made her sit on his lap, "Anything else?"

She was silent for a moment, nose and mouth scrunched up at how he gotten her. "_Does he not know anything of personal space_," she wondered as she struggled to get freedom from his steel-like arms but that made him grunt and bring her closer. A huff escaped her and she indulged into the hug, resting her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. "I am able to create energy without it being taken away, the power of the Fountain was enough to supply the needs of the Hōgyoku for now," She finally said, "Besides that, nothing else. Now, get off of me, fool."

He didn't.

They stayed like that for while, on the kitchen floor with their arms wrapped around each other as he absorbed what she said. The young nymph could tell from the aloof expression on his face and the tightening and loosening of his muscles that he was in deep thought.

It was Rukia who calmly progress her fingers down his chest. She would pressed lightly against his chest, draw patterns hoping to catch his attention but his thoughts still focused on matters in his mind and not on her.

The taste of the water from the Fountain of Youth was still fresh in her mind, how it tasted she would never forget. If she did become immortal, Rukia knew she would trade that amazing taste to be mortal and be with him. Find a way to be with him.

Luckily, that wasn't the case.

She said his name and he did not respond. Settling her hands on his shoulder, Rukia leaned up and landed a faint kiss on his right shoulder. A shiver passed by him and she knew she got some of his attention, and to make sure she did she gave another kiss on his left shoulder and he tensed.

"_There we go_", she grinned.

Ichigo felt his nerves twitched and his self control uncoiling itself with her just being near him. In front of him, her hands not touching him because of his layers of clothing, and her scent was stronger, soothing and appealing. Winter roses and orchids, her scent always tempting and he would never get sick of it. He could live the rest of his days with his nose buried in her neck, only breathing this scent and knowing it belonged only to him.

This scent was unique; however, the more he concentrated on her scent, he noticed again there was something different with her scent. No matter what he tried to pinpoint what the smell was, he couldn't tell what it was. He wanted to go deeper in thought about this, or wanted to since she was giving him small kisses and it was killing and distracting him.

The confusion and uncertainty he felt, the pondering he wanted to do departed him and all he wanted was more sweet kisses.

Her hand touched the side of his face, tilting his head towards her as she gave another kiss against his temple. The blood pumping inside of him divided into three: one went straight to his ears, the second portion fluttered on to his face, and the third collected itself in his groin.

He needed to react but he couldn't. Shyness had struck him for the first time and he wondered if it was because Rukia was making the moves and not him. Ah, she kissed both of his cheeks. Arms weakened and Ichigo wobbled to the side, landing on the floor with his back press firmly against it, "R-Rukia!" He bellowed out as she climbed over his prone body and settled her knees on each side of his hips.

Humming, it was small and almost not there but he realized that she was humming and the look on her face said she was enjoying this greatly, having him sputtered like an idiot and gaped like one too, she was enjoying it all.

Words died at his mouth when she gave him a kiss on his lips; one which he happily responded to. "_It has been far too long_," he thought as he relaxed and started to gain control over the kiss, he preferred to have control over intimate issues, it made him feel like there was not going to be any surprise and he was glad to have her lips back on his.

That comfort, however, left him when she once again gained the control back and asked for entrance to his mouth. Her sweet tongue licked his bottom lips, pulled it softly when her teeth.

Electric shocks formed all around him and shot through him and his mouth opened, giving her the entrance she sought. Tongues met, greeted and danced with each other, their breath heavy in the air, and Ichigo's hands were pressed against her hips. Wanting to push her way slight so he can gain some mental balance but not all of his fingers wanted to push Rukia's hips away.

His face felt hot as lips pulled away, teeth tugging on his bottom lips for a moment. Mirth glittered in her eyes as she nipped at his jaw line and swiping her fingers against it too as she nibbled on his ear. "You truly are like a dog," she laughed slightly and his face went even redder.

He already knew why she said that. His leg began to shake the moment her mouth clamped onto his ear and won't quit unless she stopped.

"God fucking damnit, Rukia!" He rushed out as she moved her lips down his neck, moving to the middle and onto his collarbone as Ichigo got even more embarrassed.

He didn't know what was worst: Rukia being able to get him all hot and bother. Her stopping her exploration on his skin. Her sitting straight up with her heated core on his pulsating members. Or the knocking on his door that caused her to end her raid on his sanity with her touches and kisses.

Rukia was facing the doorway, silent and waiting, peering over the counter top. Ichigo's mind began to clear up and his hands gripped her hips completely. In controlled now, Ichigo thrust his hips up, grinded against her as he leaned forward and started to kiss her neck, shocking and distracting her.

However, the knocking came again along with their names. "Stop, someone is at the door."

She tried to get off of him and he decided it was the knocking that was the worst. He caught her hand and tugged her back, "Forget it." He insisted, yanked on her dress as he went lower, happy that she was the one flustered and sputtering out words to make him stop.

"Someone came all the way to your home...probably to speak some important matters and you want to continue _this_?" The last part she stammered out since he revealed one breast and had his mouth clamped on her sweet nipple. Her own body betrayed her when she met his hips, the sensation sent waves of electric pleasure.

Grunting against her neck, Ichigo caught another kiss, hard and demanding as one hand disappeared underneath her dress and played with the lining of her panty. She gasped and he smirked fiercely at her. "What do you expect? After all, it _was _you who started this and I want to make sure we finish this time."

Ichigo quickly pushed forward more, making Rukia who was at bottom and when he was about to shove his hands into her panty, to feel the teasing heat on his bare hand and not between the sheer cloths, his sly nymph with her impassive expression pushed him off of her. Of course, she used a small spell that electrocuted him; he being in pain obviously didn't bother her as she got up.

Rukia fixed her appearance and gave a smile to Ichigo as she went to the door.

"Rukia!" He tried to get up but his legs gave out. His body was still trying to retighten the loose muscles Rukia's electric spell gave him.

"You must have the devil's luck, Ichigo." She teased.

He yelled her name again and she opened the door to greet the person who cock blocked him. "Rukia-san. Kurosaki...why are you on the floor?"

It was Ishida and fuck, there goes his boner.

"For a fucked up reason, that's why. What are you doing here anyways?"

"I'm here to give Rukia-san her things." He pronounced firmly at the wolf and then looked at Rukia, a smile on his face. "Here's your necklace, purse, and brand new broom." Ishida only handed her the purse and mentioned her things were inside of it, "I also have news that we have receive your new Hazel wood wand, Rukia-san."

"Ah, yes, thank you." She replied as she pulled and place her necklace around her neck.

"Great, you can leave now." Ichigo grumbled, still willing to resume the romp on the floor he and Rukia were doing earlier.

"I would take in great pleasure to leave and never come to your home again, Kurosaki." Ishida sniped, "Sadly, though, I have news for you too, Kurosaki."

"What?"

"You're needed at your office. There is work need to be done." Ishida fixed his tie, "That is the politest way I can rephrase what Arisawa said." The elf smirked when he heard the _beta_'s groan, "Well, let's get going, Rukia-san."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo stood and glared, "I just got her to myself. _You're_ not taking her anywhere."

"He is not taking me," Rukia clarified, not wanting another pointless argument, "I am going with him."

"What!"

"It's settle," The smirk on Ishida's face widen.

"Why!"

"Because, Ichigo, I have been in the hospital for a week where I got no work done."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"There you are, Ichigo!" Tatsuki yelled as Ichigo came through the door still fixing his suit.

"Yeah, what was it that I needed to come in today?"

The female werewolf glared at him and then processed to look around, "I don't know, maybe your job!" Hands on her hips, Tatsuki sniffed the air and caught the lingering smell on Ichigo and smirked crept on her face. "I get it now, you were too busy doing nookie with Kuchiki-chan, huh?"

Ichigo scowled at her, "I wish."

"Really? Her scent is surrounding you, Ichigo." She then laughed when it clicked, "Ishida cock block you, didn't he!" Her laughter bounced off the halls and Ichigo was about to barked at her to shut up when she sobered and patted his shoulder. "Come on, there's cases for you to solve and paperwork that needs to be done." She still giggled and chuckled when she told him that.

In the station, Ichigo's co-workers stared at him, most smirking and laughing. They all know Rukia already and all find it entertaining that the strict, hardworking Kurosaki Ichigo was all putty in the small, dainty hands of the lovely Kuchiki Rukia.

Feeling their stares, Ichigo growled at them all and told them to get back to work and headed to his office with his ears red. He glanced over his work and sighed, he would prefer to do much more interesting things than this. Striding over to his desk, Ichigo pulled back his seat and began to work. With his pen in his hand, Ichigo wondered if Rukia was alright, he left her with Ishida and he trusted the elf to take care of her.

There were moments since he met Rukia that he wanted to quit his job in the station so he had more time to be concern with Rukia. His two jobs were already taking time out of his day and then there was Rukia who was his mate. "Maybe I should resign this job." He muttered as he went signed a document and went to the next.

Grumbling frequently throughout the four hours paperwork he stopped when his nose twitched and he got the smell of vodka in his office. His eyes sharpened and the hairs on his body stood while his teeth pulled back. "Who the fuck is in here!"

"Do you find it wise to do this?" In the corner of his office, sitting on a chair with a glass of vodka in hand was Shinji.

"How the fuck did you get in here!" The werewolf bristled as his blood slowly relaxed and his hairs settled down, "No, never mind, what are you doing here?"

"Even if our training session is over and you're strong enough to protect your mate, you're still here. You didn't answer my question. Do you find it wise to do this?"

"Do what?"

"Work here, of course."

"It's my job."

"What about your job at the hotel?"

"It's also my job."

"Then, what about little Miss Kuchiki?" Shinji with his short blond hair stood up and shook his head, "You gain power to protect and here you are, working two jobs. As far as I know, you don't need the money. So, once again, do you find it wise to work here?"

"With this job I can keep up with information–"

"Isn't that why you have pack members working here too?" Shinji drank the rest of his vodka, "So, is it wise?" The alchemist grinned, "I'll take my leave now."

* * *

**Tada…what you think? **

**Please review and thank you for reading!**


	26. Chapter 25

**Hey everyone, here's the next chapter of ****A Glass Orb****!**

**Also, whoo! P0rn! **

**That's right people…the lemon I promised you guys oh so long ago. :v enjoy…I guess. **

**I would say the next chapters or so will be more of a slice of life/lemons/fluff. So, don't expect a lot of actions. **

**Besides that, enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

_**Chapter 25**_

_**Fool**_

"_Stop acting like a fool, Ichigo."_

"_Is that the only thing you see me as?"_

_Rukia continued to walk next to Ichigo, having a small grin on her face. "What else am I suppose to see you as?"_

"_I don't know…maybe, ya know, your mate? A hero? The _beta _to a wolf pack?"_

"_I do acknowledge all of those qualities in you, Ichigo; it's just that you still happen to be a fool in my heart." She agreed. Ichigo groaned and she chuckled at him, "I thought you were a fan of Shakespeare, Ichigo."_

"…_I am."_

_They stopped walking, Rukia's arms lay by her side, her sweater hugging her close as she raised an eyebrow, "In the 'Twelfth Night', how is the fool portrayed?"_

_Taking her challenge Ichigo stood right in front of her and leaned down until they were almost face to face, "The fool was portrayed as one of the most intellectual character in the play. You need to be smart and perspective to be a fool, Rukia."_

_Rukia pushed him away and then went right back to walking, "This is why you _are _a fool, Ichigo."_

~o~o~o~o~o~

"You look well, Miss Kuchiki." The elder dragon folded his hand as he watch Rukia drink her tea. She didn't look nervous but Yamamoto knew she learned from her father how to keep an impassive face.

Setting her drink down Rukia nodded, "I am well, Yamamoto-san. Thank you for asking."

"Good. Good. We, as the council, want nothing to happen to you, Miss Kuchiki." The elder dragon smiled at her, "You are a very important asset to the Others community."

"Am I now?" Rukia smoothed out her skirt, running her fingers over the pantyhose she was wearing.

"Of course, if we want to win this war, we need you alive and well." He lost his smile but his eyes remained stern.

"You are treating me like a _thing_ Yamamoto-san."

"Until this war is over you are a _thing_, Miss Kuchiki." The elder dragon saw the twitch on her face, the frown and knitted brows as she stayed silent. He felt sorry for the young witch, he does, but personal feelings and values must be sacrificed for the greater good. "I am speaking truthfully, Miss Kuchiki. Since you have come here, you have become a prize in this war even...if you do not wish to be."

Yamamoto reached into a drawer and took out a long, slender dark brown box that had a deep plum colour ribbon wrapped around it. The elder dragon placed the box in front of Rukia, "Now, before I get into detail as to why I called you here, Miss Kuchiki, here is your new wand. I had one of the best wand crafters in the Others realm crave this especially for you."

Indifferently, Rukia reached for the box, noticing the weight of it and the size of it. She pulled the ribbon off of it, and stopped. Normally with new wands, there were always spells on the cases. Where the wand chooses its owner and allows them to break the spell.

"Are you nervous?"

"No," She answered and broke through the spell that had been placed on it, "I am anything but not that." Opening the case, she took out the new Hazel wood wand and admired the beauty of it. From the smooth polished wood to the fine, round slim tip.

With care, she handled the wand and felt the rush of magic flow through her. The wind picked up around her and the contract was made. The thumping of her chest echoed in her ears and she let out a slow breath.

Glancing up, she nodded at Yamamoto, "Thank you for the wand, Yamamoto-san."

"You're quite welcome. Now, Miss Kuchiki, for the reason I called you in, I was told you drank from the Fountain of Youth."

"Actually, I fell into it."

He ignored her comment, "Are you aware that the Fountain is now dried up?"

Her mouth twisted and she blinked away her surprise and answered calmly, "No, I was not aware."

The elder dragon smoothed his hand over his long beard, contemplating over matters she did not know of. "You are aware about the talisman and keys, right?"

"Yes, I was informed they were stolen."

"Do you know what this means?" He asked but held his hand up to silence her, "No, you do not because I will tell you what it means. This means you are not to get involve again." He finally got her to express surprise. Large blue eyes widen but her mouth was set in a grim frown. "You like to leave and escape, run away and always meet trouble, Miss Kuchiki; however, those days are long gone. There are going to be a new set of rules.

"Rules that you will not break for if you do, _I _will be the one to lock you up." His voice was low and commanding, freezing her in place from the force behind it. "_You_ are not to leave a building or home alone. _You_ are not allowed to travel alone. _You_ will have a guard with you all the time. _You_ will keep either your father, the _Alpha_, Ishida-san, or your mate well inform of where you are and with who. _You_ will not go off _gallivanting_ alone and without my permission. _You_ will not speak with anyone that we, as the high council, consider suspicious."

He went on, listing things she could not do. He, with such plain commands, took her freedom away. She felt bars surrounding her the more he spoke. Her breathing became short but she made sure she kept it hidden from him. Then, with the last rule, he set her in a glass cage, leaving her inside fluttering about as if she was a butterfly.

"Do you comprehend what I am saying, Miss Kuchiki?"

The corner of her mouth twitched upward, "Yes, I do."

"Very well," Yamamoto poured himself more tea, "Then, Miss Kuchiki, tell me more about the 'Glass Orb'."

She stood up from her seat and walked over to the window, she could feel the old dragon's eyes on her as she stared outside. The window was shut and she placed her hand against it. The temperature of the cool glass spread evenly throughout her hand. "If I tell you, will I have to tell anyone else?"

"Kurosaki-san, Urahara-san, and your father are the only ones you are going to tell at this moment. I will pass the information down to Ukitake, Shunsui, and Kenpachi. Your mate and friends, on the other hand, will be informed by you if you wish to." His hand went to the intercom and told the woman on the other side to let them in.

She was hardly astonished when her father, Isshin, and Urahara entered the room. Isshin and Urahara were grinning and waving at her happily as if she had treats for them. All sat down, her father had not looked at her once.

"Miss Kuchiki," Yamamoto gestured to her empty sit, "I believe it's time to tell the whole and complete truth."

The young witch gave a slight sigh, her hand close to a fist as she turned and refused the seat. Briefly, she wondered why she didn't want to tell them. What harm could come if she does? "_Everything_," She thought. If they know, they would try to stop her; Ichigo would try to stop her. It would become a hassle to try and do what she was supposed to do with people telling and making her not to.

Then, there was the other reason Rukia feared. What if they do tell and support her decision? Allow her to carry on with what she knew was the best solution. The support would kill her, make her feel even lonelier than she already was. She already felt out of place in the world, would they want it to be permanent? Would her life amount to nothing but this one occurrence?

"Every century," She began softly and faced the Others men, "the earth must be cleansed, renewed and be told that there is still life, hope, and honorable souls striving to live. The earth must be reminded because it lost most of its senses over its years of existence. The earth is blind, mute, deaf, and cannot taste but it can still feel. Touch is the only sense the earth still has, the earth can feel but does not understand. The only way it can reach and understand is the fact that there are still souls roaming on its soil.

"So, many, _many_, years ago, before the earth lost its senses, it used its last bit of strength to create two souls. One soul carried the burden of misfortunate through its life but the other stood by that grieving soul. Giving it kindness and love, reminding the grieving soul that he will always want her and she too learned that she will always want him. As legend has it, those two souls are Ichigo's and mine. However–"

"Your soul never survives the ordeal and you die young with your soul mate suffering and dying of a broken heart." Urahara finished for her, "Your past lives, Kuchiki-san, never made it through these trials have they?"

The bleak truth laid over them all. Rukia blinked softly and looked to the side again, "No," She whispered, "never."

Isshin's mind went blank and he scowled, "So you're saying you're going to die? Soon?"

"Calm yourself, Kurosaki." Yamamoto said as he thumped his staff against the floor.

"You expect me to be calm? Rukia-chan is Ichigo's mate that makes her part of my pack and part of my family! I've already been saying she's my third daughter ever since I met her!"

"She is not your daughter!" Byakuya's voice was cold as he glared at the _Alpha_."Just because she's your son's mate does not mean she is going to be part of you pack, Kurosaki."

"Kuchiki-san, I do respect you as a council member, however if I must recite the Others laws involving mates and packs, I will!"

"Recite all the laws you want, Kurosaki; but laws do not mean an ounce to me when it involves my daughter."

"Silence!" Yamamoto yelled as his staff hit the floor, the sound echoed in the room. Urahara shifted his hat and hid his smile.

Rukia resisted the urge to sigh at the inane antics coming from her father and the _Alpha_. How complicated was it to be her father's daughter and suddenly part of a werewolf's pack?

"Miss Kuchiki," Yamamoto nodded, "Go on."

"The Hōgyoku, the 'Glass Orb' rests within me, I carry it as an identity of what I am. If I do not cleanse the earth, it will slowly, within a year's time, die; bring all of those living on it with it, even those in other realms. I must sacrifice myself for the rest of the world. When the day comes that the orb needs to be released…death will lead me to the wheel to be reborn once more." The way she said the last sentence, Isshin saw the sadness in her eyes. "This is my destiny," she said as she batted her eyelids to keep the tears away.

Then, in one moment of a flash, he was in the hospital room where his _Luna _took her last breathe. She sat up on her bed, the pale blue gown shifted over her as her chestnut curled hair moved off to the side. Her face gave a sincere smile to him and told him to come closer. She was pale, sickly and they already knew her time was about to come to an end. However, she still had that smile on her face and she told him that this was her time, this was her destiny. Her time was about to come to an end but she was so happy she got to experience everything she did. She repeated to him once more as tears struck his eyes, "_This is my destiny._"

Back in the room, Isshin looked at Rukia and he decided that this was not her destiny, "Your death, is it inevitable?"

The nymph glanced at the _Alpha_, "I don't know. Never once have there been a time where I did survive."

"It does not matter," Yamamoto's voice silenced everyone, "You, Miss Kuchiki, have a responsibility to the world now. I will not lie; I do not care if you live or not–"

Both Isshin and Byakuya shot from their sits, Isshin was growling at the elder dragon while Byakuya's eyes scorched with a depth of fire that would have lit hell's fire, Byakuya's own voice did nothing to hide its anger, "You do _not _speak to my daughter in that form."

"There is a little chance of keeping me from ripping your God damn head off." Isshin snarled.

Once again, the staff slammed against the floor, shaking Rukia from where she stood. Urahara's smile had disappeared as he saw Rukia's pale complexion, a single tear escaped her right eye and she wiped it off her face the moment it touched her cheek.

"Enough!" Fire flared from Yamamoto's mouth, heating the room up immensely, smoke twisted up to the ceiling, "Do I need to have you both thrown out?"

"Yes, you would, if it wasn't for the fact that I _own_ this building!" Isshin fired back.

"Stop acting childish," Rukia spoke, the lithe words cleared the anger of the room with ease, absolutely different from all the men in the room, "the both of you. Continue with what you were saying, Yamamoto-san."

It may have been the way she sounded or the way she looked when she told him to finish, but guilt entered the elder dragon's heart. The guilt that most old, wise men felt when the truth burned someone's heart, in this case, he had burned the young nymph's.

"I will take it back, I do care if you live or not, Miss Kuchiki. We shall do everything in our power to see that your fate does not end up like your past lives, Miss Kuchiki; nevertheless, we, as Others councils, have to choose the souls on the world over your soul if it comes down to it. I will not let the souls die to just save one."

"I understand."

"Are there anymore talisman you need to collect, Miss Kuchiki?"

"There is one more, but I fear I do not know where it is located."

"Don't worry, Kuchiki-chan," Urahara lifted his hat and gave her a grin, "Let us know when it does appear and we'll go get it with you. Keep you out of trouble, alright?"

Rukia nodded and thanked the blond hair man.

"Now," Yamamoto cleared his throat, "for your new location of residence…"

o~o~o~o~o~

Isshin flicked through some paperwork while he was walking from the lobby to his office when he caught his son's scent. The aroma was strong in the air, unusual during this time. The _Alpha _glanced behind him and saw his son, putting out his cigarette before entering the front lobby.

Ichigo walked straight to him with a bored expression on his face, unmoved by Isshin's questioning look as he drowned himself in coffee. "Do you know where Rukia is going to be staying from now on? I tried to ask her last night but she wouldn't tell me, told me to ask you instead." He scowled when a grin landed on his father's face, "Don't tease me, old man, I already get that enough from Rukia."

Isshin snorted then gave a large hearty laugh, "Of course, but you need to come into my office for me to tell you." Isshin glanced around the lobby of his hotel, the sight of guests checking in and out was an average scene but they would never know if someone were watching them as they spoke. "My lobby is not as secured as it used to be." He said bitterly.

"Ah," Ichigo took another swing from his coffee, the bitter taste was welcoming, he liked his coffee black; he never liked sugar unless it involved chocolate…or Rukia. Every time they kiss, she always seems to have a slight sweet flavor in her mouth.

They took a different route to Isshin's office, the old _Alpha _now liked to be extremely cautious since Rukia explained how she escaped and got attacked. It was getting harder to watch over her whenever she would leave without telling anyone.

The office that always became their meeting place was still. Ichigo leaned against the wall as his father sat down and put aside the papers he held. "So?" Ichigo probed.

"Well," Isshin paused and then grinned coyly at his son, not sure how he was going to take this but it had been decided by both the Head and her father. "I don't really know how to tell you this, but Rukia-chan is going to stay with me and your sisters!"

"What?"

"It was decided by the Head and Kuchiki, so…"

"She's my mate! She should be staying with me! Not with my old man!"

Isshin grinned widely even more, "What can I say? My daughter-in-law even agreed to it!"

Ichigo scowled and felt the vein on his forehead pulse angrily, "Why the fuck would she agrees! God, it always seems I'm trying to keep us together but there she is; running around without me, leaving me while I'm trying to protect her, and staying at other people's _place _instead of _mine_!"

The older werewolf watched in amusement as his son ranted and yelled in air, this was becoming more of a habit for his son after meeting his mate. However, as he watched his son he took a quick glance at the clock and frowned. "Ichigo."

"What?" The _beta _barked.

"Why are you here? What happened to your shift at the station?"

"Oh, I quit." He said casually and silence followed as his father stared at him.

There was something in his eyes that Ichigo could not name but the _Alpha_ nodded his head, "Good, I was wondering when you were going to quit."

"What…you were waiting for me to quit?"

"Of course," Isshin looked over to his right where the large portrait of his smiling wife hung, "Before I met your mother, I worked two jobs, just like you. I worked as head of security for the hotel when your grandfather was alive and worked part-time at the clinic near our house. I quit my job at the clinic when I met your mother.

"I had no reason to work two jobs. I just did it because I liked it; then, I met your mom and I realized that I had a responsibility now to my mate and my pack." Isshin then began to laugh loudly for no reason, making Ichigo irritated at his father. Was his father laughing at him? "I mean," He chuckled more, "that's why Kuchiki doesn't like you! You put your work before his daughter!"

"I do not!" Ichigo vehemently

Isshin waved him away, "It's doesn't matter, now go see your mate."

"Ah, thanks pop." Ichigo was already holding the door knob when his father called him once more. "Yeah?"

"Sit down, son." Before Ichigo's eyes, the _Alpha _looked as if he aged ten years as he sat down. The frown on his father's face dragged the bags under his eyes down, creating shadows.

"Why do I feel like you are going to tell me something bad?"

"Because Rukia-chan isn't going to," Isshin remembered after leaving the meeting with the elder dragon, he had asked her if she was going to tell Ichigo.

_Rukia quickly opened her mouth, as if she knew the answer to his question but then shut it before trying to say something else. However, nothing came out and she stared at the _Alpha _and shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know." She answered truthfully, "I do not want to tell him for I feel I'll push him to try something crazy, overwork himself for a goal that is nearly impossible."_

"_He's your mate, Rukia-chan, he's already working hard to protect you, but he just doesn't know from what."_

"_He cannot protect me from the clutches of death." She tried to reason. _

"_Even if he knows or not, Ichigo will not let you go without a fight. Rukia-chan, you're already hurting him by keeping him in the dark, tell him what might happen. There may be a way to save you."_

"_That is one thing I have fallen in love with when it comes to your family; every one of you are so hopeful." She brushed her hair away from her face and took a glimpse where her father waited for her, "Tell me…why fear the dark?" She smiled at him, "The dark is part of nature, and like the light, it does not last long. So, I will keep him in the dark."_

"Dad, what's up?"

"Rukia-chan finally told us."

"Told you what?"

"She's going to die," If sound was a gun, words would be its bullets for those simple words that his father spoke shot Ichigo.

Isshin began and told Ichigo Rukia's story. His son sat still as he listened, his once grinning face fell into a frown that transformed into a scowl. His face grew red and Isshin saw as his son's wolf beginning to break free. Finally, telling him, the load of guilt became heavier on Isshin as his son snarled and sped out of his office door.

It was obvious where his son was going, but he wondered how much he helped or if he did actually help at all. He palmed his forehead and went over to his liquor cabinet and got a glass of vodka. "It wasn't supposed to be this complicated." He said to the smiling photo of his mate.

~o~o~o~o~o~

The trembles of his anger engulfed him and rolled off of him in mighty waves. He already inflicted most of his anger onto his car as he rapidly raced to his old home. Ichigo had broken his driver window and the driver's seat met the end of Ichigo's elbow, busting the recliner. His knuckles were bleeding as he gripped his steering wheel and did a sharp turn.

He was only a minute away from his home and his thoughts frequently repeated curse words, his own heart beat clear in his ears. Ichigo honestly did not know what he was going to do when he arrived to his old home. He immediately knew that he needed to see Rukia, wanted to see her and smack some sense into her. He wasn't going to give her up, not without a fucking fight.

And if he needed to strap her down and repeatedly tell her that, Ichigo swear he was going to fucking do it. She wasn't going to die; she wasn't going die when they just met, when there was so much worth living for, when he knew that he loved her as much as she loved him.

Ichigo at long last spotted his old beige color home and swerved into a parallel parking space and kicked his door open, not caring that the car door was ripped off its hinges.

The _beta _wolf marched up to his home, glancing at the two werewolves that were guarding it. "You two, make fucking sure that no one leaves or enter, don't even let my sisters enter. Got it!" He barked, baring his teeth at his lower werewolves pack members.

"Yes sir!" They answered as Ichigo barged into his house.

Finding Rukia in his home was easy when you were a werewolf; he followed her scent upstairs, striding pass the simple living room and dining room, going up the stairs and down the hall until he was at his door. The trail then forked, one went to his bedroom while the other went to the bathroom. Even if the water was running from the bathroom, he knew that Rukia was smart enough to trick him; so, he quickly checked his old room that was filled with her scent because of her things.

"_Bathroom, that's where she at._" Growling, he marched up the bathroom, not even bothering to check if the door was closed or not, and forced it open. He shattered the lock that was place on it and his eyes fastened to Rukia's form.

She was in the bath tub, slouched against the tile wall as her legs stretched out in front of her. She was fully clothed, water rained on her, soaking her but she didn't seem to care. The water must have been icy cold with how red her skin was getting. The gentle aroma of hers swam through him and once again, there was that hint of something in her scent that was driving him crazy.

Her eyes were lifeless, though, and that was what made him stop in his track. She created a ball of water above her finger tips and it suddenly fell apart. Her wet clothing plaster against her skin, her hair drapes of black silk and she finally peered over her shoulder at him, "Subtle is not a strong suit of yours, is it, Ichigo?" She sounded playful and there was a spark in her eyes again; there was even a small grin on her lips.

His worries at the moment lost when she teased him and her own grin fell when she met the werewolf's eyes, "Oh no…he told you."

"Damn fucking right 'he told me'!" Ichigo roared at her, confronting her but she stayed in the bath tub, the water still running.

"Can we talk about this later, Ichigo?" Rukia turned her back to him and slipped furthered in the tub.

"Hell no!" He reached into bath to turn off the water, his skin tightening at how cold the water was. "Fuck, the water's freezing!" He reached to get her, she was cold too and she looked away from him, "Get these clothes off, now." There was a tinge of blue in her complexion as she finally stood, "Damn it, Rukia. How the fuck can you get the water so fucking cold?" She didn't answer the question but he knew it was because of her magic.

He pulled her out roughly but she only scowled at him, "I can explain everything."

"Explain that you are going to fucking die!" He yelled at her, however she didn't flinch or hid from him as he did, not even turning away from him when he patted her dry with a towel. He wasn't gentle with her, telling her again to take her clothes off.

"Rukia, how long did you know? Was it before you met me!"

"Why did you think I was trying so hard to _not _beyour mate?"

"So you were going to trick me, lead me along!"

"You are acting as if I have cheated on you for a long period of time!"

"Damn it, why didn't you tell me!"

"Because it would have been easier for you to know that you did everything you possibly could to save me instead of knowing there is absolutely nothing you could have done!"

"Easier?" He chuckled, "Easier! How the fuck would it ever be 'easy' to lose my mate! Knowing or not knowing, Rukia?"

Rukia pushed passed him, shaking her head and breathing heavily, she entered his old room and went to close the door behind her but he was faster than her and pushed it open. She was prepared to leave the steaming werewolf alone to calm down but Ichigo, on the other hand, didn't want to be left alone and slammed the door shut when she tried to open it.

"You're not going anywhere."

"You are going to forcibly keep me here?" She frowned, the water sloping here and there on the room's hard wood floor.

"If it's the only fucking way to keep you here to talk, then fuck yeah." Ichigo moved in front of her, blocking the door completely.

"You are being unreasonable."

"Like-wise." Fuck, her scent was getting under his skin. There was a white fire in her eyes that caused a stirring in his loins.

"What do you want me to say, Ichigo? What do you want me to do?" She held her finger up and shook her head, "And do not dare say 'live' to me."

He smirked and proceeded to stride up to her. She must have sensed the change of his mood because she began to move away from him, "I'm going to save you, Rukia."

"What makes you think you can save me when none of your past lives could save me?" The back of her knee bumped the corner of the bed; damn it, when did this room began to feel so small?

"I don't." His arms caught her, one around her waist, hauling her up against him while the other arm went around her neck, fingers tangled in her wet hair, "I don't know but I'm not going to lose you, Rukia. I'm not." He said furiously, "There is a reason why my soul was created to be with you; I'm meant to save you." His lips brushed against hers as he said this, "I am going to save you. Believe me."

"Fool, being so full of yourself" Rukia's voice cracked, "Do not say I did not warn you." Hesitantly Rukia's own hands sought Ichigo, her arm was around his strong neck, her fingers pulling at his tie, pulling him down with her as he slowly set her down on his bed.

Ichigo is aware of her current state of clothing–damned her wet clothing; they were both going to be wet at the end of this.

Their lips meet in a heated desperate rush, bringing flames into life from within, warming them up from the inside out, and it made him burn for more. He released her mouth, breath heavy, giving them two seconds to breathe before he went for another kiss and another.

"Why did we have to meet?" The question murmured from her lips reached Ichigo's ears as he trailed down her jaw and bit the juncture between her neck and shoulder. "Ichigo," Her body arched from the strange sensation coming from her neck, "please, it is hot."

The snarled escaped from his vocal cords when he heard that, he needed her naked, now. The pumping of his blood went south but there was still enough in his arms as his muscles constricted and ripped Rukia's wet blouse off of her. From the texture of it under his touch, Ichigo knew it must have been new, but for now, Rukia didn't seem to care and he didn't give a fuck.

She groaned when the cool air touched her but it wasn't sufficient for her. She was still too hot and Ichigo seemed to get the message. His hand pulled on the zipper of her skirt harshly that he shattered the metal fastener but he didn't pause to wonder how badly it looked. He swiftly tugged the fabric down her legs and threw it on the floor with her ripped blouse.

The werewolf pulled back to look down at his mate, wanting to admire her glistening skin but when he did, her hand that gripped his tie yanked him down for another soul shattering kiss. Ichigo who was extremely into the kiss still got distracted from it when he took another large deep breathe from his nose.

Abruptly he lifted back and stared down at her. She still had a loose grip on his tie; her face was flush and hair was a drenched mess underneath her. His eyes fastened to her heaving chest, where the white flora tattoo rested peacefully, right where her heart was, below her supple skin.

A smirk filled his face as he growled and pushed his face against the skin of her chest, the slope of her soft breasts pressing against him and he took a big whiff. He finally knew what that scent was, in the midst of winter roses and orchids, there was. "Heat," He said.

"What?"

"Heat."

"No," Rukia hardly struggled underneath him, debating whether she wanted him to stop or not so she just yelled out, "wait!" But he didn't.

Something in Ichigo snapped. Something more animalistic unleashed from within him when he made that conclusion.

His mate was in heat.

Words were coming from Rukia's mouth but all he did was silence her with his lips while large hands went behind her back and tore the clip of her bra. Fumbling with his own clothes, Rukia helped him take his tie, jacket, and shirt off. His pants and belts he did himself, pulling his boxer down his legs along with his pants. He further moved down on her, tongue and lips made a jagged line between her breast and stomach.

Hands reached for her panty and dragged them down until they secured her knees together. She groaned his name and he push her legs towards her chest, one leg laid on his upper bicep as the other was limped in the air.

Ichigo reached and took a long drink from her sweet cove. He wanted to take in everything, taste her elixir that belonged only to him; a luscious wine that seeped from within her into his mouth, onto his waiting tongue. Ichigo played with her unmasked jewel and she quivered underneath his hand, gasping and groaning.

Somehow she freed one leg from the confiding panty and had her legs spread, one hand holding him near her heat even if he wasn't going anywhere. Ichigo bit the side of inner thigh, his hunger eyes a storm of hurt and fury and want. He went on her once more, clamping down on her little pink nub until she climaxed and he went to drink everything she had to offer.

Slowly, he licked his way back to her neck before giving her a full kiss on the mouth. She tasted herself and saw his mouth and jaw was covered with her essence. Ichigo's heart was pumping so loud from how nervous he was, so loud that he could barely hear Rukia's own heart beat, her moans and mewls.

He felt her hands in his hair, dragging him down for another kiss, her long legs shyly resting themselves on his thighs, nearly curling around his hips. There was uncertainty under her touch, he was sure she would have bolted by now if it wasn't for him pressing his body down on her.

He waited too long for this, they both waited too long for this.

Even if it may only be for this single night, both Ichigo and Rukia wanted something that was real. What they were about to do, together out of love, this act, this was real to the both of them.

Ichigo went and buried his face in her chest, smelt her scent again and felt his wolf within him escaping its restraints. He growled loudly in Rukia's ear, surprising her even more with the tip of his rod touching her entrance. The mushroom head probed her tight hole, slowly maneuvering his way inside of her.

It took time with her being so much smaller than him, he had to thrust in slowly, her stretching to accommodate him was painful but not as painful as she thought it was going to be. Rukia would twitch every time a bit more of him entered; the throbbing flesh was warm that her body flushed from the exhilarating heat.

Ichigo swore his eyes crossed when he got the head of his manhood inside Rukia. She molded over him, fitted him more tightly than a pair of gloves and he also swore that she was pulling him inside of her. God and he were willing to give her everything to stay inside of her forever.

Ichigo bit the side of Rukia's neck again, distracting her as he pushed further into her but he had to let go on her supple neck to curse out how heavenly it was to be in her. Rukia's hands gripped his upper arms; her body lifted up and arched to take him in.

He thrust more into her, breaking through the hymn of her virginity as well. She tensed in his arms when he did, pressing herself into him but she met his hips and gasped when he was fully within her. Ichigo felt the tension from her body but was thankful when it went away quickly.

"Ichigo…" His name tumbled from her lips.

He was trying hard not to move so that she could get use to his length inside of her, he stretched her out completely. Damn it, he wanted more self-control but damn the need to make love to her.

Ichigo held himself up, his elbows next to her head as his lips attacked hers. His thrusting was quick and short; her own hips swirled and met his in an erotic dance. Ichigo let one hand grip her ass, pressing her more tightly against him, causing the sweet friction between them to bring Rukia over the edge.

Quickly when he felt her muscles squeeze him Ichigo moved away from her, he was still tucked inside of her securely and flipped her onto her stomach. The more feral side of him was coming out.

He needed his woman; he needed to make love to her until they both were raw and dying for sweet slumber. Ichigo's hands took hold of Rukia's, locking them up above her head. Her hips in the air, her chest on the bed, black mass of hair covered her back and she turned her face to him.

"Fuck." He grunted out and drove into her over and over again. Hitting her right where it counted, having her screaming for mercy at the overpowering pleasure. Ichigo's body met hers with a force, their skin slapping against each other, Ichigo was losing control of his facial features; canine fangs appeared the more he moved, his grunts and growls were loud and unashamed.

Rukia noticed the yellow glow his eyes taken but didn't care at all with how powerful he was driving himself into her. They were sleek with sweat now, the air heavy and damp and their body radiating heat.

"Ichigo," Rukia screamed out when she knew should couldn't last any longer, "Ichigo, please." She sobbed. It was all too much now, he propelled himself so strongly, and the bed frame even began to hit the wall repeatedly. "Ichigo," She cried out, his hands gripping hers, his nails now long and cutting into the bed.

She cried out his name once more when he bit her neck and she came again. Washing waves after waves of pleasure over her and her mate. His tautness of her inner muscles made Ichigo even more insane and delirious.

He finally let himself come, he filled her and he howled to the night, positive that the whole neighborhood heard him, or even them. They sure in hell weren't quiet. Ichigo's hands fastened on her hips, holding her close to his pelvis as he released himself even more inside of her.

Even after minutes of being in that position, Rukia still felt something fill her every so often; pouring into her but it has been so long. How long has it been anyways, Rukia had wondered, "_Ten minutes_?"

She struggled to prop herself up on her elbows but once she did, she tried to move away but his fingers squeezed her and kept her still. "Don't move," His voice was rough, low, and dominating. He was still inside of her, still hard she noticed with a confused look. Ichigo smirked at her and bent over her, letting only one hand let go of her hips and take her hand. "We can't move yet, Rukia." He kissed her, "I'm not done."

Confused over what he was saying, she got the message clearly when she felt another spur of his fluid enter her. "Ichigo!" She reddened, "I am already filled, why are you–"

"Because you're in heat," His smirk only infuriated her even if her face could not show anything but pleasure.

"W-what does that have to do with anything?"

"Normally," He whispered into her ear, "I can finish like a normal man, but since you're in heat I need to make sure you're filled."

"Why?" She tried to sound angry but another load filtered in her and it came out in a moan.

"To make sure I got you pregnant," He grinned cockily at her, "This is how I official claim you, Rukia."

* * *

**Hope everyone enjoy and please review, I'm worried that I'm not doing a good job since I really haven't gotten the normal amount of reviews I usually get (so, I'm assuming I'm doing something not in your guys' liking). **

**I don't like being one of those authors that demands for reviews, but…I'm just worried. **

**Anyways, see you next month...or maybe sooner? (I'm writing a lot so you guys maybe getting another chapter in about...2 weeks, maybe.)**


	27. Chapter 26

**Hey…early release…what? :x **

**Anyways, I would like to address a review and pm who had issue with the whole "me gets you prego" thing: number one pregnancy happens when there is no protection (do people/teens reading this use protection, ALWAYS) so Rukia even took to the risk to do it (in my fic) so no hating on Ichigo so much; not like he pocked a hole in a condom (and they did not even use one). It takes two to get one pregnant. Number two, read this chapter since I'm not silly/stupid enough to do something quite unnecessary. **

**So, thank you everyone who reviewed, it really warmed my heart and made me extremely happy. Keep on reviewing and you may get faster releases (who know).**

**Enjoy this chapter and see you in a month?**

* * *

_**Chapter 26 **_

_**Nothing**_

_In the nothing that filled his mind._

_There was a mental spark and boom and Ichigo came back when he heard the beat of his heart and of his mate. He could heard her panting, smell her scent and his mixed as one. His mouth suddenly burst with her taste, from her lips to her nectar. He could feel his limbs giving out, his body slowly fitted against hers on the bed. _

_Golden eyes regain focus and he saw his mate's back, the smooth lines of her back, the slope and dip of her hips, then her round bottom that was entirely compress with his hips. Rukia's hair was a muddle mess, her neck peeked out and beckoned him to lend down and lick the dewy flesh. Rukia glanced to face him before she turned and laid on her back, her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her. _

_Ichigo momentary looked at the clock; there was still an hour to go before his sisters arrived from school. He was lying completely on top of Rukia, one hand interlaced with hers, his face buried against her neck. They were both naked and pressed up against one another; he pulled up a thin sheet to cover their bottom halves. _

_Her fingers absently ran through his hair while she stared up at the ceiling. They were both sweaty. The smell of sex was heavy in the room and utterly satisfying to Ichigo. However, there was something wrong and he knew it was coming from Rukia, "What's wrong?" _

"_Nothing is wrong." She said, turning her head away from him._

"_You're lying." He growled into her neck._

_She grinned coyly at him, "Oh, you have become quite perspective, Ichigo."_

"_Rukia," He warned, "Stop avoiding the question."_

"_I was not 'avoiding' it, you are just too impatient." She took a quick pause and looked down to her hands, "I am also not lying when I said nothing is wrong. For everything starts with nothing; nothing is everything and everything is nothing. We start from nothing, become something, but then turn into nothing again." _

"_What?"_

_She ignored him and whispered, "I am even more terrified than I was before."_

_ "Really?" He whispered back to her, "Because I feel stronger than ever, Rukia."_

~o~o~o~o~o~

"He's alive."

"Who is, Kurosaki." Ishida's didn't move his eyes from the book he was reading; sadly he wasn't as engrossed as he wished he was since Ichigo wouldn't stop muttering to himself.

"That Espada that committed suicide in the police station, the pink hair bastard, I just got a report saying that his fucking body was missing from the freaking morgue!"

"That's mostly your fault, Kurosaki."

Ichigo stopped his pacing, "How is it my fault!"

Rubbing his temple, Ishida placed his book done and gave Ichigo an irritated look, "An Espada is like a batch of hollows, when the 'pink haired bastard' died, he should have turned into spirit particles, he didn't and you and your pack, did not notice."

Ichigo's mouth opened, an insult was on the tip of his tongue but it died when he realized that the elf was right. His pack members didn't notice and he sure in hell didn't notice. Fuck, what a rookie mistake he just made.

Ishida went back to his book but still spoke to the werewolf, "I heard you quit your job at the police station."

"Yeah, I did, so what?"

The elf gave a chuckle, "Kuchiki-san actually heard of this and commented that you were now not being an idiot."

"I still think he's an idiot."

"Rukia-san is very important to Kuchiki-san." Ichigo stayed silent as he listened to the elf, "Even if he acts cold towards everyone, even her, his actions always seem to consider Rukia-san's well-being."

Ichigo grumbled words that Ishida didn't understand and didn't bother to ask what he said. He wanted to go back his book, which was the reason why he was at the café by himself until Ichigo showed up. Bored and on his lunch break and sadly upset with the news of the Espada that he needed to talk to Ishida.

A curse was released softly from Ichigo as he lit _another_ damn cigarette, and as much as Ishida understood why Ichigo and the rest of the werewolves needed to smoke; it was still a fucking bother. "Kurosaki, don't you think that's enough–ah, Inoue-san, good afternoon."

Inoue shuffled from where she stood; a blush on her cheeks as she played with her hair. "Ah, g-good afternoon!" She responded back, quick and awkward, "Um…"

"Is there something the matter, Inoue-san?" The elf asked, his palms becoming sweaty from talking to his high school crush.

"No…well, I was just wondering how Kuchiki-san is?" She shrunk away when Ichigo finally looked at her, even when she knew she had no chance with him and was trying to move on, his gaze still made her heart flutter.

Ichigo let a smile bloom on his face, his eyes glint with mischief and happiness, as if he had a delightful secret that he was itching to let everyone know. "Rukia's fine, she went to the hospital for a check-up and was 'officially' release from the hospital."

"Still can't believe she snuck out." Ishida muttered.

"Ah! That's wonderful! I mean, back at the-the, well you know, she looked really bad and, um, well…" Inoue who started out loud, embarrassingly had her voice die off, her face was now fully red, "I'm glad she's alright."

Inoue squirmed in the silence that settled and finally looked up again, "Well, um, I guess I'll get…going." She excused herself and went to leave.

"Wait," The auburn hair woman glanced back at the werewolf, "Thank you, if it wasn't for you, Inoue, I would have lost Rukia that night." The sincerity in his eyes burned her and she fervently nodded her head and left.

As she ran to catch her bus, she was dreadfully happy when she saw it was empty and took the last sit in the back. Tears began to flow from her eyes as she finally began to accept that Kurosaki Ichigo was in love with someone that wasn't her.

It hurt.

She asked herself, asked the Gods, why couldn't it be her? For one moment, she wondered why she had to fall in love with a man that she couldn't have. Why did the woman he loves had to be someone lovely, kind, and…perfect for him?

It hurt.

Everything that could have happened did not. Those years she pinned for him gone with no purpose in them. She was mad at herself, jealous of Rukia, and surrounded in sorrow and pain for a love that could never happen.

"It hurt," She told herself, "But that's alright…I'll be fine. It'll just take…take time." She cried out more as she muffled her sobs into her purse. "It'll just take time."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"So…you're hiding out from people that want to kill you?"

Rukia who was helping setting the table for dinner nodded her head, "That is a way to say it." She perked an eyebrow at the young black-haired Kurosaki, "So, I hope it is alright that I stay here."

"Yeah, it's totally fine. You have no idea how boring it is here. At least with you here there's _some _excitement." There was pattering of feet on the floor and Kon popped out, "And we love our new pet."

"_Nee-san, nee-san, can I eat some meat as well?_" Kon asked Rukia.

"Of course," Rukia smiled, "Go into the kitchen and I am sure Yuzu would be willing to give you some meat." Kon roared in excitement and ran to the kitchen, Rukia smiled and looked back at Karin, "I suspected being the daughter of the _Alpha_ would give you enough excitement in your life." Rukia set the last fork and began to set the glasses.

"Please, as much fun daddy-dearest is, he's a complete worrywart, like most fathers that are werewolves…I feel bad for your future kids." Karin grinned when Rukia stumbled over her feet and red reached the nymph's face. "What? As a werewolf's mate, you're obviously going to have kids; three to five is the norm in the pack, just to let you know, but daddy always wanted Ichigo to have loads of kids so he can have _loads _of grandkids. You should hurry up though; Yuzu and I really want to be aunts soon."

"Karin, stop teasing Rukia-nee." The youngest twin walked into the dining room with an apron secured tightly around her neck and waist. The youngest twin left Kon in the kitchen eating a steak all to himself. She carried a pan of steamed vegetables; both Rukia and Karin went to get the rest of the dishes that would join the meal.

Rukia came out of the kitchen with wide eyes as she set the rice down and saw the twins bring out pan after pan of food. The only time she had seen dinners this large was usually during Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. "Um…why is there so much food?" She asked timidly.

Karin snickered at her as Yuzu smiled, "Oh, Rukia-nee, we're werewolves; this is the normal amount of what we eat."

"Yeah, you should see us on Christmas!" Karin walked out of the kitchen with another large pan of food. "Well, that's the last bit of it!"

"So, the four of us are going to eat _all _of this?"

"Five, actually." Isshin smiled as he opened the door, "I'm home!" The three daughters welcomed the _Alpha_ home happily, excited when he left his hand up to see that he brought cake as dessert.

"Five?" Rukia asked when she took the cake to the kitchen.

"Yeah, five, you got a problem with it, princess?" From the entry way Ichigo stood, taking off his jacket and hanging it up, smirking at Rukia who huffed and looked away, hiding the blush on her face. Even if it has been three days since they slept together, Rukia still was a little sore and embarrassed.

Yuzu grinned widely as she ran to her brother, "Ichi-nii! It's been so long since you last ate with us!"

"It's all thanks to Rukia-nee," Karin took her place at the table and stared Rukia who sat across of her who still had a light flush on her cheeks. Rukia felt Karin's gaze on her and looked up and saw the older twin mouth out a "thank you."

Yuzu brought out the drinks and sat down as well, smiling ear to ear. Isshin was at the head of the table and took the sight in front of him fully. His daughters on his left, laughing to themselves, both growing to beautiful women.

Ichigo sat down next to Rukia on his right, his son whispered something to her ear, tugged on her now shorter hair which made Rukia punch his side quietly as he grinned at her. Rukia shook her head but the smile was there, she brushed her hair that was now a couple of inches below her shoulders aside.

The side conversation slowly stopped and they all stared at him, waiting for him to give them the permission to eat. Isshin eyes soften and lifted his glass, "To the future….to our happiness," He said. The twins didn't seem to understand the message underneath but Ichigo and Rukia did. Ichigo nodded and lifted his own glass, Rukia followed suit and so did the twins.

"Well," Isshin said excitedly, "Let's dig in!"

Dinner was filled with merriment, so much happiness and laughter between all of them. Food was passed around; drinks, smiles and jokes were as well. Isshin watched all of this and his own beating heart began to warm.

The last time this much happiness was at the dinner table was when Masaki was still alive; if only she was. Isshin bit back the tears that prickled his eyes and scolded himself. He cannot change the past but there was always the future.

The future always meant hope for Isshin. The future that always was uncertain became clearer the more the present glow. This happiness that surrounded the Kurosaki dinner, it glowed so brightly.

This happiness was what many men wanted, fought for, and tried to protect.

The _Alpha _stared at his daughters before looking over at his son and Rukia. They reminded him much of his relationship with wife. Rukia stole a piece of meat from Ichigo's plate, causing his son to half-heartily scowl at her. She kissed his cheek to make-up for the stolen piece of food and Ichigo moved over to her and hid her from his sisters' view as he kissed her quickly. Rukia pushed him away swiftly, blushing and under her breath scold him vehemently.

In the midst of his observation Rukia noticed him staring, "Is everything alright?" She asked softly to not alarm the rest.

Isshin placed his hand on her head, messing her hair up and grinned at her, "Everything is perfectly wonderful, Rukia-chan!"

"Old man, hands off Rukia!" Ichigo growled.

"You guys are so loud!" Karin yelled at the male werewolves.

"I can't help it! I'm so happy!" Isshin stated loudly as he stood up and grabbed Rukia and Yuzu, who were the sad victims to sit close to the _Alpha_, in a bear hug.

"Daddy, stop!" Yuzu squeal out.

"Kurosaki-san, please let me down." Rukia pleaded before Ichigo jumped from his seat to confront his father. Karin joined as well but was only caught in her father's arm as he screamed 'group hug'.

This happiness, Isshin decided, was something he was going to protect with all of his strength. He will not allow the smiles on their faces vanish into the darkness. He will not allow another important woman in his family's life to be taken away; he won't allow Rukia to slip from his son's grasp.

He will protect this happiness.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Why can't I go too!"

"Because I said you can't, old man." Ichigo growled, putting his jacket on and helped Rukia's with hers.

"Daddy, leave them alone." Yuzu chastised.

"Yeah old man? How do you expect them to give you grandkids if you always want to spend time with them?" Karin snickered.

"Karin!" Yuzu gasped.

"Oh so true, daughter!" Isshin pulled Karin to his side, "Well, you two have fun on your _walk_."

Rukia walked outside mortified, Ichigo left some not-so-nice parting words before leaving with Rukia but there was a grin on his face when he snagged Rukia around the waist. "Let's go."

The two watch-outs stepped aside to let them through, Ichigo nodded at them and held Rukia closer to him. When they were far enough that the two wolves outside the Kurosaki household couldn't hear them, Rukia sighed and nudged Ichigo away, "They are your pack members."

"Yeah, so?"

"You were acting territorial around them."

Ichigo smirked down at her, "If you were less attractive, then I wouldn't need to be. I already claimed you as mine but you're still a fantasy in other men's dreams."

Rukia ignored him, "Where are we going?"

"Let me surprise you."

"You know very well I dislike surprises, Ichigo."

"You keep saying that but you always like mine at the end."

Ichigo led them down the sidewalk, the night was still and the stars along with the moon shined brightly the more they walked away from the city lights.

"How far are we going?"

"Not that far. Now stop asking questions." He snapped softly at her.

They walked for a good twenty minutes. The city was a glowing speck behind them, the street they walked was empty, and when they finally stopped they were in the middle of the street. Rukia looked around confused before she gave him a questioning look.

Underneath the changing stoplights, Ichigo shrugged a grinned proudly at her. "Tada."

"I am not very impressed, Ichigo."

"That's because you haven't heard the reason why I took you here."

"There is a reason?" She acted surprise.

"Yes, there is." He boasted, "I owe you a dance."

"A dance?" She was frowning but he saw the twinge of amusement in her eyes. He nodded at her and she crossed her arms, "I do not remember a time when you owe me a dance."

"I know you don't but I still do, after all, the first time we met was at the Others party and instead of getting you a drink or asking for a dance…I, uh–"

"Try to sleepwith me?" She answered, trying to be helpful.

He blushed and rubbed the back of his head, "Um, not one of my most glorious moments."

"It is fine, I did not even know you had 'glorious' moments." She smirked when he scowled.

"Yeah. Yeah. Well, I owe you a…dance." His cheeks stained red as he held his hand out to her, waiting for her to grab it.

Rukia stared at the hand, large in comparison to hers and covered in scars and tough skin. She always seem to forget that these scars and tough skin were formed when he was part of the army, when he was part of the force and now he was using these hands that once protected many to protect her. Timidly her hand reached out and grabbed his, her other hand rested on his right arm as his free hand snaked around her waist.

Rukia heard him gulp and glanced up at him.

"I…um, never done this before." He confessed to her and looked away when she laughed at him. However, he felt her hand left his and grab his shoulder, her head rested against his chest and she told him to sway slightly and that would be good enough. Quickly his hands moved to her waist, his own head lowered next to her and they began to sway gently.

Rukia's eyes fluttered shut, her ear pressed against his chest where his heart beat rhythmically. As pathetic as this may sound, as cliché it does sound, Rukia was willing to admit to herself that she never felt this safe before.

Ichigo smiled as she nestled herself closer to him. He would never call himself a dancer and would never want to dance but if it means to simply sway like this with Rukia, he can make an exception. Grumblingly, he swore at himself for not making this the first memory of Rukia's and his.

The stoplights were changing again, the yellow spark and the red then blazed across of them. Ichigo's ears picked up some scurrying of rabbits in the side and he barely realized Rukia's arms snaking around his neck. Bringing him down for a kiss that he was very much willing to comply with.

The kiss deepened, Ichigo even lifted her up to get a better angle. Her tongue delicately entered his mouth, meeting his own and doing a whole new different dance. She forced him closer, deepening the kiss further.

Ichigo happily complied and the more she intensified the kiss he decided he couldn't handle it anymore. He broke the kiss and excitedly picked her up from the ground and rushed off to the side where there was a small plain park. There were a couple of trees littered about, smoothed yards of grass. No coverage anywhere, everything was out in the open and it was here that Ichigo decided to carry Rukia to.

He sat against one of the few trees, close enough to the street that a bit of light from the streetlight shined on them but far enough that a passing person will have an extremely hard time seeing them.

"Ichigo, what are you thinking?" Rukia was settled in his lap, pushing away from him as she nervously looked around. They were quite out in the open and that made her blood rush wildly.

"You're the one who started this." He growled and pulled her close for another kiss, this one more aggressive than the last. He pulled at her clothing, pawing at her tender skin and Rukia momentarily forgot where she was, ignoring the feeling of the reducing effect of the potion she drank earlier this day.

He pulled back and stared at her blushing face; her eyes hazed over and mouth beating red. He smelled it, her scent was different and not in the good way. He moved his eyes from her face to her chest and she immediately noticed.

"I dear say, it is getting quite late and I should be return back to your father's." She rushed out and attempted to stand up but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. His hands pulling her shirt and bra up and over her head, trapping her arms above her head as the cool wind touches her warm chest. "Ichigo!"

His nose was buried between her breasts, his breath tickled her and she tried to squirm away. "Why are you–"

"Well, you see I–"

"–still in heat, Rukia!" Thinking quick, Rukia freed her arms and casted a restraining spell on Ichigo. The werewolf's arms were pinned back against the tree, he changed his surprised face into an annoyed one. "Rukia!"

She hugged her shirt and bra to her chest as she glared at him, "I do not want to get pregnant, Ichigo! It is not you decision…and why are you erected?" Rukia barked at him.

"Because somehow my mate is still in heat even after we made love yesterday; we didn't have any protection and I'm pretty sure I came inside–!"

"Stop being so vulgar, Ichigo!" Rukia's hand clamped down on his mouth, "and let me explain to you why." She gave him a stern look before she moved away and turned her back to him. She began to fix her clothing slowly as she explained to him why she was still in heat. "After we….made love I quickly went and made a potion to cease the process of me being pregnant. I know if I did, we are both to blame for it…getting lost in the heat of the moment, one of my not so 'glorious' moment. However, I then searched and made another potion that will cover my scent from still being in heat."

"Why would you do that?"

Rukia rubbed her head and put on her bra, "Did I not just say I did not want to get pregnant?"

"The _beta _growled, her scent was making his beastly side emerge, "As a mate to a werewolf, maternal needs start right away."

"I know!" She hissed, "It is a werewolf thing but with the future so unclear and dangerous…I do not want to risk the chance of me dying while being pregnant, placing him or her in danger, or me dying after it is born."

"Nothing is going to happen to you!" Ichigo reasoned heatedly.

"Are you willing to gamble on this child's–" Rukia sighed and rubbed her head in frustration, "You do not know that for sure, Ichigo. I want to be cautious." She sadly frowned but then quickly scowled when she felt Ichigo resisting her spell, "Will you stop?"

"Not until I got you under me, Rukia." He smirked and continued to struggle powerfully against her spell.

She blushed and her lips scrunched up in a thoughtful purse, "You need to stop this, Ichigo."

"Like I can!" He growled and tensed his muscles in his arm as he furthered struggled for freedom, "My mate is in heat, boner won't quiet until I make love to you."

"So once you are free; you will take me whether I want you or not." Ichigo quiet down but ever so slowly his mouth quirked into a large smug smirk, his expression was cocky as he stared at her for a good long time. She didn't squirm under his gaze; she simply became more annoyed with him as he continued to stare. "What?"

"Never in the history of werewolves had a mated werewolf rape his mate, you want me as much as I want you."

"I doubt that, fool." She crossed her arms and stood up, "I believe you _want _me more than I want you."

"So, you're not denying that you want me."

"I would be lying if I say I did not."

"Wonderful, then help the cause," His smirked became a scowl again, "and let me go!"

Rukia turned her back to him and grinned to herself, "No, you will lose control."

Ichigo growled and resisted more against the spell, causing Rukia to reel back to him and hissed at him to stop, "I'm not fucking gaining control the more time I'm tied to this tree and not touching you," He retorted.

"If I let you go–"

"'I'll lose control,' got it but what are you going to do?" He asked, "Leave me here?" Rukia got quiet and averted her eyes, "I was fucking kidding, now untie me!" Rukia sat down in front of him, still holding her shirt against her chest as she ignored his growl and took off her skirt. She looked intently at him as she pulled a vial with a glowing pink liquid from the side of her panty. "Why do you have that–never mind, what is that?"

"If I drink this, I will not be able to get pregnant for the next 24 hours...it's the witches' equivalent to birth control."

"Good. Good." Ichigo nodded, "You're going to break it, right?"

Rukia hit the side of his head, "No, fool, I'm going to drink it and if you ask me 'why' I _will _leave you here. Sadly, it will not cover the scent of me being in heat." She mumbled the last part but Ichigo heard it clearly.

"Fine," He agreed, finding reason in her dispute.

She drank the liquid in the vial, happy that it tasted like strawberries as Ichigo cursed. Distracted by the taste of her potion, her spell loosened and he quickly tried to break the ropes around his body. Yet again, she caught him before he could complete the ripping of the spell.

"Stop that."

"Why, you already drank the potion and my hard-on is just getting harder!" Rukia saw his canine teeth poking out from his lips, she noticed that he was getting hairy and his eyes were glowing gold.

Sighing and looking around nervously she asked him if anyone was around, "Rukia, the moment I'm free, I'll be making you scream so loud people will come here to see what's going on."

"That is not helping," She said and stood, once more she looked around as Ichigo took another chance to get free. She was already shirtless and the sight of bare skin was driving Ichigo crazy, and it worsened when Rukia took her skirt off fully, dragging the pantyhose she was also wearing down to her knees. She took off her shoes and slipped the rest of her clothing off of her until she was only in her panty.

She moved forward to where Ichigo was trapped, he grown quiet as he watched her strip. God, her scent was now so much clearer with her clothing off, "I still find this embarrassing," she whispered to him, "and nerve-racking."

"I don't feel shy at all, Rukia, you shouldn't either since I've seen you naked so many times already but I agree with the nerve-racking part," Ichigo leaned forward, pulling at the spell tying him to the tree. She placed her hands on his chest and ran them up and wrapped around his neck. Her lips timidly touched his for a short kiss before giving into the riding passion inside of her.

She would be lying if she said she never thought about that night every five minutes. Everything reminded her of it; even the most random thing that had nothing to do with it reminded her of it. She's been having day dreams of it, her fantasies becoming more explicit.

God it was embarrassing but she wanted it. This connect with him was something she never experienced before and it felt natural. After months of denying him and denying herself, she didn't want to risk it anymore. She might not live and she wanted to at least spend the last moments of her life with this happiness.

Rukia grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward, kissing him more deeply as she moved to sit on his lap. She ignored her nerves when she felt the pronounced pressure of his member against her thigh.

Ichigo welcomed the kiss, willingly participated in it and took it to the next level. He kissed her back passionately, sucked her tongue with his lips and tugged on her tongue with his. However he was unsatisfied, his hand, his fingers burned with the itch to touch her. They sweated and he held them in tight grips.

God, he wanted to touch her, wanted to hold her and guide her and express his own love to her but how the fuck could he when she had him tied up. Every time he felt the bonds loosen he would flex and try to escape but every time, she will catch him and strengthen them again.

She was now sitting on him completely, her weeping core directly on top of his straining member. He bet she was panting with hot air down there, he bet those lips were wet and swelled with blood, begging to be touched and petted by his fingers.

Not being able to touch her, it was a torture that he did not like. He was left open, at her whim, and exposed. He despised it and yet he loved it. He loved it because it was her, she was doing this to him, leaving him defenseless and making him burn for her even more.

Was this how she felt when he pinned her down, made her vulnerable but still feeding her some heated touches from his own hands? It was all too much and he didn't give a damn because he just wanted to touch her, he wanted to touch his mate.

Rukia was unbuttoning his pants; Rukia, who has always been shy with intimacies, is doing so much for him right now by proving that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He loved her so much that it could burst from his chest for all that he care, as long as she knew that he loved her.

Ichigo pulled away from the kiss, gasping for breath and groaning as Rukia touched him. Her soft hand coaxed his shaft from out of his pants, it stood erected and ready for any attention Rukia was willing to give. A small hand reached and grasped the harden flesh, it radiated heat and Rukia nervously pumped her hand. The reaction she got from Ichigo was a curse accompanied by a moan and a shuddered breath with more tugging against the spell she had on him.

She felt the cording veins wrapping around his member, she felt the mushroom head with the slit on top that was leaking a translucent liquid. Her thumb slid over the drops of his juices, over the slit that got Ichigo cursing even more and growling at her. He said something that she barely understood and Ichigo didn't blame her. He hardly understood the words coming from his mouth.

He couldn't even think beyond making love to Rukia, he was even having a hard time remembering where they were and what his name was. Rukia still on his lap had her chest close to his face, her scent further making him become more animalistic. His erection stood proudly, undaunted and pulsating, and he wanted it to burrow into his mate's warmth.

Somehow though, he gained some human aspect of himself back and repeated his statement, "Take your underwear off."

He heard Rukia chuckle and he snapped his head up, his eyes meeting hers. She was cool and collected, God he hated when she was like that when they spent their time together like this. He who had a wild and passionate look in his eyes wanted the same look in her eyes as well. He snarled at her as she slowly moved away, "Get back here."

"Temper, Ichigo." She chastised at him, "and here I thought you told me to take my 'underwear' off."

"Take them off," he huffed at her and she complied, pushing the fabric down her long legs effortlessly. "Now, come back here."

She did but she still had a coy smile on her lips as she did, "very impatient, Ichigo." Her hands went to cup his face as she positioned herself on top of his member, he felt the panting heat sweep on top of his cock, and he was narrowly pressing into her. Ichigo's glare did not made Rukia nervous as she swept for another kiss, her arms around his neck, her naked chest pressed against his clothed one.

This was supposed to be skin on skin but she was the only one naked and God he wanted to be naked with her. He wanted to press his body against hers, feel her skin, touch it and taste it.

Her fingers ran through his hair, one hand threaded down and went under his shirt and pulled more of his pants down. She was not backing down from the kiss and Ichigo met it with more force, intending to make her delusional as a small vengeance for having him tied up.

The head of his cock rubbed against her entrance and rashly he thrust his hips up, stretching her opening to accept him. Rukia's eyes widened and she moved away but instead slipped and impaled herself on to him. His member slipped right up in her and it was such a delicious feeling the way she wrapped around him, flesh so warm and inviting.

"If…you're going to take advantage of me, show me what you got, Princess." Ichigo, who felt a tad calmer, teased. He got the reaction he wanted with her mouth set in a frown and she held onto his shoulder.

She straightened herself, she was still shorter than him but she could at least meet his eyes, "I am truly thinking of leaving you here for that comment, Ichigo."

"If you do, I'll hunt you down and _eat_ you, Rukia." He caught her lips and took this chance to break her spell. Once again, she caught him but he got more room to roam now and smirked at her, "Better keep your mind on this spell; next time, I am going to get free, Rukia."

"Unless you become a mindless creature from what I am about to do to you," she rebutted and gradually lowered her hips down. She held on to Ichigo as she did, tears sting her eyes the more he entered her. It was a bit painful; he was too big for her and filled her up fully. Ichigo groaned and leaned his head back, she was so tight around him, too tight but it felt so damn good and he wasn't even half way in.

He gritted his teeth, groaned as he slid more inside of her. His hands were yearning to grab her hips and help lower her down onto him. His mouth watered with the thought of her skin on his tongue, the slick sweat beading down her body. He craved to dive between her legs with his mouth tugging and sucking on her sweet jewel, have her essences running over his tongue.

Ichigo smirked as he moved his leg and pushed her knee to the side, making her slip and impaled herself fully on his length. She gasped out and moaned his name, her back arched and her arms wrapped around his neck.

"What was that?" she hissed, her body was trembling with sensitivity and her blissful cannel enveloped him securely.

Ichigo's lips were on her neck, straining but he was determined to touch her. "You were taking too long," his voice rumbled against her skin, his hips shifted and thrust into her once. She whimpered and got his message and began to move herself. She steadied herself using his shoulders, leaning back slightly to get him to push against that one delirious spot inside of her.

She was panting slightly, her cheeks were flushed and eyes were closed. Ichigo watched her, mesmerized as he met her hips. The pace was not slow but not fast either, it was a pace that drove men crazy. It was a taste of slow tempting love, one that is meant to last for hours on end of weekends when they had nothing to do. It was a taste of wild trembles that would cause them to go blind and deaf but she won't give into the sinful passion. It was damn intoxicating, it wasn't enough yet it was.

He was Goddamn impatient, he hungered for her _petit morte_, he wanted to feel her constrict of his length and quiver until she was yielding flesh.

Nevertheless, she kept the speed at the slow, painful euphoric pace. Riding him as she touched him and taunted him with her own hands touching her own body. At one point she leaned back on one arm and used her free hand to touch her breast. Run that hand down her slim stomach to between her thighs where she touched that beating jewel.

He grew jealous, as absurd as that sound, of her hand. His mouth dried as he sweated and snarled, "Damnit, Rukia…Release me!"

She gasped happily when he hit _that _spot precisely and moaned, "Shut up and enjoy it, fool."

Ichigo heard her getting louder, felt her twitch on top of him as she got closer to the ending. God, he was close as well but he wanted to hold out. He wanted to spill into her with his arms around her. He was snarling loudly, her scent intensified this action and with every plunge she took he was getting more beastly.

"Ichigo," She cried out and surged back to him, her arms around his neck as she forced the pace to go fast. The sound of her body hitting his was an erratic drum, sweat and sweet nectar mixed into one, lips was on each other again, and the air around them was heavy. She moaned into his mouth loudly, her orgasm rocked her body and sent strength into Ichigo.

Finally, after so many times he escaped from her spell, grabbed her around the waist and pumped himself into her. His hands were firm and he was sure she was going to have bruises but he didn't give a fuck. He needed to release himself inside of her, pour his seeds into her as he held onto her.

In and out.

In and out.

It was an action so simple but powerful and he came. He gave her everything and smirked when he did. Even if he knew that she drank that potion, his body did not.

"I am already filled, Ichigo." His mate moaned, "Stop."

"Your scent is still telling my body you're in heat," Ichigo growled and bit her neck, worrying the flesh there, "So my body is treating your body as if it's still in heat."

Her face flushed and eyes dewy as she whimpered at another rush of him spilling into her, "Ichigo…"

He kissed her deeply, and when he pulled away from her there was a trail of saliva connecting them, "Just take it, Rukia."

* * *

**Tada, I hope you all enjoyed more fluff and lemon from me, please review plenty.**

**And see you in a month? :v**


	28. Chapter 27

**Whoo! Another chapter!**

**To everyone that defended me/my fic there is no need to. :] Those reviews weren't flames, they were helpful criticism that I welcome even if it did hurt me. I mean, criticism hurts no matter what, even if one asks for them…or at least it does for me. **

**To those who dislike my fic, I don't want to say "don't read" because if you want to read and hate, go ahead. I don't believe in censorship of any kind, and telling those to not read because they dislike it is a form of censorship, in my opinion, even if it's not that serious kind of censorship. I ask for no flames but constructed criticisms are welcome. **

**Another note is that I wish for my readers to read my fic not by chapter to chapter but as a whole, which is hard considering that I update once a month. That I know what I am doing and some things I write, I write on purpose not to make my readers uncomfortable but to somehow make my readers aware. The characters are developing and I want them to seem realistic even if this is a supernatural fic. The things I make some characters think or do are going to be resolve later on…so you have to wait. **

**Then, I would like to remind some that the characters in my fic are never IC, because they are not. The only person that can write the Bleach cast IC is Kubo himself. I don't try to and never claim to. So, sorry to those that wants them to be IC. **

**I guess that's it for now...so Happy Holidays!**

* * *

_**Chapter 27**_

_**Everything**_

"_Keep 'em coming…"_

"_Miss, you had enough."_

"_Look," The woman stumbled slightly over her words but she didn't give a fuck, "if you're not going to keep 'em coming, I'm going to take this wade of cash-" From her purse she took her money and slammed it on the counter, "-and go to another bar that will." The bartender sighed and unwillingly agreed, asking her what she wanted. "Anything strong, I don't care as long as it's not gin…I don't care as long as it's not him."_

_The bartender shook his head and guessed she was upset over a guy, something he couldn't understand. The woman in front of him was fairly beautiful; "_Maybe beauty can't make one's life beautiful as well._" he thought._

"_How about a _Zombie_, sweetheart? It has rum and brandy in it."_

"_Will it knock me out?"_

"_If it doesn't, then you're one hell of a drinker." The bartender began to make the drink, noticing the door open as two more people entered the bar. A man went up to the bar and sat next to the woman._

"_Give me a _Time Bomb_ will ya?" The man asked. _

_The woman who entered went to the restroom quickly and came right back out and sat on the other side of the drunk woman. "Do you want anything, doll?" The bartender asked, trying his hardest to give her his most charming smile._

_The sober woman shot a glare at the man, "Do not call me 'doll', my good sir and no, I do not wish for anything at all." The bartender reddened when he clearly saw the young woman's face, "however, I would be grateful if you leave us alone for a bit." She then smiled and it made the bartender even more flustered._

_The older man nodded and went to the side. The man on the other side of the drunken woman snickered, "And to think, you're only seventeen, Rukia. Can't wait to see how men would react to you when you're older."_

"_Quiet Renji," Rukia said as she faced the drunk woman, "What are you doing, Rangiku?"_

"_Getting drunk, that's what I'm doing." Rangiku answered angrily, the blond haired woman then sighed, "Go away Renji."_

"_What?" Renji spit out his drink, "I can't! I need to protect–"_

"_Wait outside, Renji." Rukia said, "Now."_

"_Fine…after I get my drink." He said stubbornly as the bartender easily handed Renji his drink. The red haired man stared at his drink and raised it, "To you two beautiful women with the hopeful thought that the world becomes kinder to the both of you tomorrow." Renji drowned his drink with no ease, coughing as he slammed his empty cup on the counter top. "Fuck that was strong!"_

"_Now you had your drink, go." Rukia said and watched him leave with a frown; she closed her eyes and leaned her head against her hand as she faced the fox woman. "He is gone."_

_Rangiku swirled her drink, "You told me I'll never find my answer at the bottom of a drink; and as much as I know you're right, I don't know why I keep trying to." She whispered, "I don't know what to do anymore. He's slipping through my fingers everyday and as much as I know he loves me, why does he try to keep so distant from me?_

"_Everything is wrong. Absolutely everything, but when we fight and he asks me what's wrong I can never pinpoint what is wrong. He takes me out to dinner, makes love to me, shows me he loves me, supports me in everything I want to do, he's proud of me and not ashamed of me. I feel the same way but something's wrong, I know something's wrong. That's why I can only answer with 'everything' because I don't know what is wrong._

"_Everything is wrong. Why is everything wrong? Why can't everything be fine?" She downed her drink and once it landed in her stomach, she cried even more. "I want to be numb; I want to be numb so I can't feel anything anymore."_

_The bartender came and gave Rangiku another glass but before Rangiku could take a sip, Rukia got the glass and threw it to the side. "That is enough," The nymph said, surprising the old man, "You have done enough, you do not need that drink to make you feel more…shitty over yourself. So, stop it and look at yourself. Do you want to stay in your relationship?"_

"_Of course!"_

"_Then how is being here helping your relationship?" Rangiku only got two words out before Rukia interrupted her, "No! It is not." Rukia pulled out her own wallet and placed two hundred dollars on the counter, "She's had enough and we are leaving." Rukia pulled Rangiku away from the bar, not being sensitive when the woman stumbled and tripped behind her. _

_Renji was smoking outside when they came out, "We're going to take her home?"_

"_No, we're going somewhere else." Rukia responded as Rangiku got in the car and Rukia told Renji to drive. They arrived to the coast and Rukia got off and told Rangiku to follow while telling Renji to wait by the car. _

"_Rukia…"_

"_Do not worry, Renji, I am not going to do anything dangerous." Rukia smiled at him and tugged Rangiku along. They reached the shoreline, where the water met the sand and Rukia kept walking. _

"_Rukia, what are we–"_

"_Trust me," Rukia said as she got out her wand and casted a spell, "Come on."_

_Rangiku, feeling suddenly sober, did and stepped on the water, but instead of having her feet wet she was above the water. "How?"_

"_I'm a witch," she answered easily as if that was simple enough of an answer to understand. "So, if you do not wish to fall into the water, step where I step." They walked over the water and slowly got higher until Rangiku felt she was on a cliff. When they were far enough and high enough, Rukia stopped and turned around. The moon hung behind her as she asked for Rangiku's hand. _

"_Are you going to propose to me, Rukia?"_

"_Of course not; however, I feel that if I do you would say yes," Rukia teased as she tapped her wand against the palm of Rangiku's hand. _

_Rangiku chuckled, "You know I would, you have a special place in my heart, Rukia. Now, what are you doing?"_

"Libérer tes soucis_,__"Rukia whispered and pulled her wand away. In Rangiku's palm was a small tornado of magic, taking small traces of Rangiku's energy to form into a pink, translucent, glowing bird. It fluttered in her hand, eyes red as it sat in Rangiku's hand. _

"_What…what is this?"_

"_These are your worries," Rukia moved to the side, "They formed into a robin, you're quite lucky, mine always form into a butterfly."_

"_It's very pretty...what am I supposed to do with it?"_

"_Anything you want, you said you wanted to feel numb and this will help you. If you release the bird it will take your worries away, give you a new clean slate for an entire month before it returns again. If you keep it, your worries will drown you, but–"_

"_But?"_

"_You just need to say, 'comfort me' and it will. It will give you strength, inner strength."_

"_That…I want to do that," Rangiku answered, "How can I?"_

_Rukia looked at her own hand and said, "Please still be loyal to me." Then, she lifted her hand, the butterfly which was now perched on her finger fluttered away from her and escaped into the depth of the night. _

"_You…you released it!"_

"_Yes, I did because my worries are now being supported by it as well. It will come back to me because it is loyal to me. I am not alone; my worries are not my burden anymore but ours." Rukia stepped a few feet back, "What are you going to do, Rangiku?"_

"_Please," Tears fell from the fox woman's eyes, "please stay loyal to me!" Rangiku cried out as she released her own worries and saw it fly away from her. Rangiku saw her worries fly away but she still felt them inside of her but it wasn't as bad as before. She felt lighter and felt stronger, "Rukia…thank you for everything."_

_Rukia smiled, "But I did nothing."_

~o~o~o~o~o~

_April 25__th_

It was spring now; time flew by for the Others which surprised many that there wasn't another major disaster. The only councilor members that did not head back home was Hitsugaya because he was on vacation with Momo. Rukia's father went back to D.C and it was only because of Yamamoto that she was forced to stay in Japan.

Her father complained silently while Ichigo and Isshin cheered happily.

Their lives were back to normal…or at least as normal for Others; almost like if the past did not happen.

Ichigo and Rukia were together most of the time; it was as if they were glued by the hip. They had lunch together usually and dinner was always at the Kurosaki's household. Then, when they were not together outside the office, they were together inside on office hours.

When Ichigo had work he would more than once force Rukia to stay with him in his office. He goes through documents of work, oversees security affairs and Others criminal affairs–since he still has Chad bringing him any news involving Others criminal activity.

Rukia, as bored as she always was, claimed a corner on his desk as her "seat" as she watched him do work, help him with it, look out the window, or read. She always had the urge to get up and leave but every time she tried, his heavy paw of a hand would land on her thigh and keep her there.

Then, during break, they would fool around, mostly on Ichigo persuasion but Rukia was always willing to participate. They fooled around so many times already but it always felt like it was a first for the both of them, which was why they never got tired of making love.

They also went to his father's house and spent time with his little sisters, making both of them very happy. Rukia taught Yuzu how to ballroom dance and she taught Karin how to insult people secretly to make them look foolish; obviously Rukia and Karin used the unaware Ichigo as the dummy.

Isshin was louder than ever and even if it annoyed the Kurosaki children, it was an almost endearing sight to see. Their father's boastful personality was back, his prankster attitude played once more, and his hugs were more suffocating than ever. Rukia and Yuzu sadly had to experience the bear hugs as Ichigo and Karin have to get them free. However, it was all very enjoyable in Rukia's eyes. Watching such an animated family, it was so different than she was used to.

It was evening; Rukia sat alone in Ichigo's room as the twins slept peacefully. Ichigo had gone home an hour ago, she could hear Isshin stomping downstairs from left to right. Karin was snoring but Rukia became used to the sounds from the very beginning. She craved the sounds and embraced them, the world was meant to be filled with sounds and music.

It made her feel less lonely.

Rukia looked out the window above Ichigo's bed. She rested her head on her arms as she watched the stars and wondered, how many more people or Others were looking up at the same sky at this very moment?

All of those souls, looking up at the sky…did they have the same thoughts she was having now? Was someone out there looking at the sky in a desperate need of comfort or in happiness? Was someone laughing with the stars or dancing with them? Were there people wishing on a star, hoping and praying?

The sky was so vast; so many stars littered its current dark navy cloak and under this sky lived so many _things_. Under one sky, everyone became connected with each other for even one moment.

So many people.

So many Others.

So many emotions.

And they were all related in one way or another.

Rukia began to hum quietly to herself, wishing she could become part of the sky. She wanted to fly into the threaded cloak and weave herself into the inked fabric. However, she couldn't; she promised that she wouldn't take off without any good reason.

If she went and did as she liked, she would be scolded heavily and she didn't feel like sitting for another hour to hear her father, Ichigo, or even Yamamoto scold her. Even if she did and asked if it was alright, she was pretty sure the urge to fly wasn't a good reason.

"This is not so bad, is it?" She asked quietly to herself as she stretched her hand out and felt the crisp wind run through her fingers, "right?"

There was then a rustle of noise behind her and she swiftly turned around. There was no one but she knew someone was there because they left something. Her eyes slit and focused as she stepped towards Ichigo's desk that was next to his old bed.

On the smooth surface of the desk, in a small glass cage was a butterfly. Delicate and beautiful, its wings were large and black, sloping out and had dashes of red, white, and yellow painted on. It was a Swallowtail Butterfly, and it was fluttering in the jar, almost waiting for her to take the cage off of it.

Her hand went to take the container off of the butterfly but the moment her fingers grasped the glass knobbed on top, the butterfly's wing stopped beating and it fell onto the surface of the table.

She was numbed but she went to take off the glass cage and waited for the butterfly to beat its wings again. Every second it didn't, Rukia's hands tightened and when she felt the life essence of the butterfly disappear completely, tears prickled her eyes.

What surprised her though was when the dead butterfly crystallized and then melted away, as if it was never part of this world. Like it never existed and the only person that knew it did was her.

She felt hands grab her shoulders, a body hugged her from behind her and the words "_This is your fate_", were whispered into her ear. Her heart was pounding and the touch of whoever was behind her became smoke and left her.

Someone actually went inside her room and left her a warning yet it does not bother her too much. Rukia was over being scared and paranoid, they were out there, watching her, and she couldn't do anything about it without making someone upset with her.

Not bothering to look behind her she went and lifted the glass cage off the butterfly. The dead butterfly with its glossy wings laid there unmoving and when she went to pick it up it fell apart and became this delicate silver-blue dust.

What should she do?

This was obviously a warning and she wondered if she should say anything.

Weeks of peaceful silence and she didn't wish to break it.

Like the broken butterfly that was now dust, Rukia felt something inside of her fall apart as well. It crumbled and laid there in the pit of her stomach, and Rukia started to hum again, quietly as she collected the dust in the palm of her hand. She moved to the window in slow strides and stretched her hand out and allowed the dust to lift and mix with the wind.

This way, Rukia thought, it could still fly freely outside.

There was still a knot in her throat; she tried to swallow to make it go away. She closed her eyes and told herself to calm down; there was no need for her to feel so emotional. However, the knot tightened and her breath became short.

"I am so stupid…" Rukia said as she wiped a tear away and she sunk onto the floor. Leaning against the wall, she wondered when things got so complicated, "_it was the moment I met Ichigo that everything started to go downhill_." She frowned and looked over the side.

She had so much power. She was trained to control and use these powers. Spent many years training to become a powerful witch, a high priestess and yet, she was stuck here because she was told to.

Everything she worked to get: the talismans, the keys, her damn tattoos were basically worthless. Now, she can't go get the last talisman because she doesn't have the other two. Damn her guilt, and the high uppers of the Others.

Why won't they let her sacrifice her life? It was just one life…and if she did everyone would get over it.

After an hour of sitting on the floor, she was suddenly depressed for water. Her legs were numbed as she stumbled to straighten herself. She ignored the pins and needles on her and went to the kitchen. She stopped halfway down the stairs when Isshin popped his head out from his office.

"Is everything alright, Rukia-chan?"

Rukia did not answer right away but when she did she smiled at him, "Throats dried…I just want some water."

"Is that all?" Isshin asked her, his face seemed to have worn lines, concern gleamed in his eyes.

"Yes, that is all." She smiled at him, hoping to cool his concern, "No need to worry about me, I would be more concerned if you did not finish your work and go to bed, Oji-san, it is quite late and I do not think Yuzu would like it if you fall asleep eating again."

Isshin tried his best to hold his laughter back but he nodded his head and agreed. "I'm in my office if you need me," He said before he went back into his office to finish his work.

Rukia finished going down the stairs and flicked the lights on in the kitchen. She was determined to get her glass of water and quickly went upstairs for some much needed sleep. Once again, she enjoyed the different fleeting sounds around her and as she left the kitchen and went to the stairs; movement caught the corner of her eyes.

It was the full length mirror that Karin won the other day and Yuzu wanted to have hanged in the living room. It was a long oval shape and had lovely curved lines decorating its borders. "It was my reflection," Rukia concluded, "Really, to get jumpy because of that."

She turned her back to it and was about to go back to her room when the glass of water shattered on the floor. Staring down on it and back at her hand, there was a black limb tangled around her wrist and she felt another snag her waist.

Confused, she looked at the shattered glass that had produced some cuts on her feet. The glass was knocked from her hand when the black limb grabbed her. She heard her name being called and saw Isshin opening his door when she was pulled.

A surprised cry left her throat when she felt her back hit the mirror and more limbs enclosed over her body. "Oji-san!" Rukia cried out as she began to fight against the limbs, conducting her magic to freeze the limbs but they only cracked and grew back.

When Isshin heard the shatter of the glass he got up but when Rukia's first cry escaped her he already shot out from his office, and when she cried out for him he was already pulling her from the mirror's grasp.

"God damnit!" Isshin cursed as he got thrown back from the force of the limbs. Rukia was already half way through the mirror as she thrashed about, trying to rip the limbs off of her.

She momentarily froze in shock when she saw half her body was confided in the glass and her mind went back to the butterfly that was in her room. She struggled more than ever, she didn't want to be locked up again, and she couldn't live in that isolated hell again. However, it felt the more she struggled the more she was being engulfed.

The twins were awakened from the noise and both rushed down. They saw their father once again trying to free Rukia and both girls ran to help. Yuzu wrapped her arms around Rukia's waist and pulled, Karin was trying to dislodge the limbs around Rukia's neck and chest.

Karin was hit on her right cheek but she ignored the pain and went back trying to free the nymph. Yuzu was getting entangled as well and with a last primitive yell Isshin, who transformed into a werewolf took all three girls and wrenched them free. They landed on the floor and Isshin rushed to break the mirror.

He turned back to check the girls, they were getting the remaining black limbs off Rukia and Yuzu; the auburn haired twin was already crying as she was helping Rukia. Karin had a bruise on her cheek, her lip was bleeding; all three girls had cuts on their feet from the broken glass as well.

Rukia had angry red lashes all over her body; the most notable was the one around her neck. The nymph was even gasping for air, coughing as her wind pipe tried to restore balance. "I am sorry," She wheezed out, "I…did not…mean for…this to happen." The remaining limbs were off and evaporated when they hit the ground.

Yuzu quickly hugged Rukia as more tears fell and Karin leaned her forehead against Rukia's arm. Isshin, already changed back, rested his body against the wall, the adrenaline was leaving his body and anger filled him.

They dare to attack _his _family in _his _house? Isshin growled out, surprising Rukia who apologized again, "No! No…I'm not mad at you, Rukia-chan. I'm going to call Ishida to come and check you girls out; I'm going to inform Yamamoto about what happened."

"Daddy, should I call Ichigo?" Karin called out, Rukia immediately said no but Isshin told his eldest twin daughter that that would be an exceptional idea. "Then, I'll call Ichi-nii," Karin said as she got up and went to search for the phone.

Rukia had a frown but focused her attention back at Yuzu. "Yuzu," Rukia patted the girl's head, "It is okay, we are both fine."

"It was so scary." The girl whimpered, "I thought you were going to disappear."

"I know. I know and I am sorry that it scared you. Come now, we have to get out of this glass, we do not want to cut ourselves again." Rukia gave a half-hearted smile and Yuzu nodded.

Karin came back from the kitchen bringing the first aid kit with her and sat down next to Yuzu. "I called Ichi-nii, he's on his way here," Karin said and she opened the first aid. All three girls tended to their own wounds, Rukia was the only one that didn't bother to ask how bad her wounds were. It was irrelevant to ask since she felt beating shots of pain all over her body.

There was a knock on the door and Isshin went to allow Ryuken in, the old doctor with his silver hair and white coat looked at the three girls. His eyes stopped at Rukia who was still bleeding in some areas and not bothered to put cream on her sores.

"Come to the kitchen, Kuchiki-san." Ryuken commanded.

It didn't take long until Rukia and Ryuken came out of the kitchen, the nymph was covered in long white stripes of bandages and was blinking innocently as the three Kurosaki stared and began to laugh.

"I do not find this very…amusing." Rukia mumbled.

"Isshin," Ryuken said and pushed his glasses up, "next, call me only if she's dying and not because she has, as you called them, 'boos boos'. I'll be taking my leave then."

Isshin pat Ryuken on the back "Thanks for coming over."

Ryuken sighed and rubbed his temple and before he went out the door, he told Isshin, "It's alright; it's what _friends _do for each other."

Rukia was rocking back and forth on her sore heels, watching as Isshin went to get a broom and a dusting pan. Karin glanced up at Rukia and saw her staring at the broken mirror and asked, "Is everything alright, Rukia-nee? The mirror is broken…it can't get you anymore."

Rukia went closer to the broken mirror, ignoring Karin as she went to pick up a shard. Karin quickly went to Rukia, "Rukia-nee, are you alright? Rukia-nee?"

"It has a curse on it." R ukia said still not hearing Karin and Yuzu's protest of concern, "A pretty strong one from the feel of it, I wonder who did this–wait, this is dark magic. If I had my spell book, I can possibly find the spell and maybe trace it back to the original owner."

Lost in her own world, Rukia kept mumbling to herself, naming off herbs and other items as Yuzu and Karin watched. Sleep has escaped them all, Isshin was back in his office calling and setting a meeting tomorrow to discuss what just happened.

In the midst of this, everyone seemed to have forgotten the summoning of Ichigo; so, when the panicked werewolf burst into the house, Yuzu and Karin were on the couch, silently drinking tea and calming their nervousness.

"Is everyone alright? Yuzu? Karin?" Ichigo saw his little sisters' wounds and was happy that they weren't as bad as he thought they were going to be.

"Hi, Ichi-nii." Karin said nonchalantly.

"Would you like some tea?" Yuzu asked with a small smile.

"No, but where's Ruki–"

"–It contains cloves, ashes, and fairy dust!" From behind the couch, Rukia popped up, "Ichigo, I need to go and find a spell book. We must head to the library this instant." Rukia was already heading to the stairs, "I will get dressed, may you get my coat ready and we can be on our–"

"–No," Ichigo growled at her. She stopped and looked over her shoulder at him, "You aren't going anywhere. Look at you; you're covered in bandages _again_."

"…so are your sisters."

"Yeah, but not as bad as you and I know _they aren't_ going to get into more trouble."

Rukia turned her eyes towards Karin, "This is why I told you not to call him."

Karin simply chuckled and tugged Yuzu from the couch, "We're heading off to bed."

"Night," Ichigo said gruffly, not taking his eyes from Rukia.

Rukia waved at them and waited until they left to cross her arms, "I do not know why you are mad; I did nothing at all this time. I was attacked while I was getting a glass of water," She reasoned.

Ichigo loosened his facial muscles, his scowl became a frown as he rubbed the back of his head, "I know, it's just that…I'm worried."

"Why? I thought you said there is no reason to worry for you will protect me…right?"

"Yeah, I do but it's hard to protect you when you're far away from me."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"This cannot go any longer, it's getting too dangerous for Rukia to be here." Byakuya said. The moment he heard Rukia was in another accident he cast a spell and came to Japan as soon as he could. "I am taking her home, far away from here; hopefully she won't get attacked again."

The sun was already setting and almost everyone was getting restless after sitting for two hours discussing policies, plans, and defense. They were all in the same sitting order; there was only an extra chair where Ishida sat next to Rukia.

"How can you be sure that this is only in Japan? She got attacked when she went to Spain and was being followed in England." Kenpachi argued.

"Your intention is in the right place," Gin smiled, "But we have to think more carefully about this."

"Why do we need to?" Soi Fong growled, "They want her, and know how to get her. We are their puppets! We cannot hide; they'll find her no matter where we try to hide her. We can only run and avoid."

"What will we do, then?" Aizen asked.

"We'll do as what Soi Fong said, 'run and avoid'." Isshin said, his hands tucked under his chin, "We'll run as far as we need to, but it's true what you said, we cannot hide Rukia-chan."

"So, we'll send her to different places every week or so?" Kenpachi asked, "That's too much fucking effort. How about you leave her with me, and when she gets attacked, I'll kill the fucker and we're done."

"If only it can be that easy." Yamamoto said, "There is not much we can do but make sure she is protected at all time. She will stay with the Kurosaki family until it's time for her to go back home, where she will be protected by your men, Kuchiki-san."

"I understand." Byakuya answered.

"Now, Miss Kuchiki, as I stated before, if you get a feeling as to where the last items you are looking for come up, contacting me should be the first thing you do."

"I understand." Rukia said.

The meeting ended a few minutes later and everyone was leaving either through the door or through windows or magic pathways. Rukia was outside with her father; he was checking her bandages and asked if she wanted to see their family doctor. Rukia declined and Byakuya told her he needed to leave and asked to see her tomorrow.

Of course she agreed and waved her father goodbye before walking up to Ichigo who was waiting for her. "How are you feeling?" The werewolf asked.

"I am fine." She gave him small smile, "Just a little tired of all of this, nothing more."

* * *

**A/n: Tada, you made it through this chapter. I'm writing a lot more and currently on chapter 34, so you may be getting a faster updates and some longer chapters. So, keep an eye out folks. **

**Please review and a thank you for everyone who has supported me for the past two years. I have over 500 reviews which is amazing! Thank you everyone it means a lot to me. **


	29. Chapter 28

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* * *

_**Chapter 28**_

_**Melting**_

_It frightened her, he knew it did. _

_ After many years of perfecting that expressionless façade she wore he knew she was scared when strong emotions came to play inside of her._

_ However not just any strong emotions, but love. _

_ She was kind, he knew that. _

_ She was caring and loyal and devoted and helpful all the while she maintained a status of a fighter._

_ She was many things that most would not notice at first glance. _

_ Ichigo drank his coffee and watched as Rukia sipped her tea gracefully and he nodded his head as if he was agreeing with himself. Rukia was many things and could express many things but loving someone was something that frightened her. _

_ He knew this because he saw it yesterday in her eyes, even if he was distracted by the fact Kuchiki Rukia was only wearing a towel at the time, he saw it. He declared that he was going to protect her no matter what and he meant it. _

_ If she suffered from another asthma attack or suddenly became ill, he would be there for her. He did not want her to face the pain alone. To think he met her only days ago and he was this much in love with her. _

_ Even at this moment he was still falling for her and he would realize it when she looked up at him. _

_ Then, she was falling for him–or at least he hoped she was–for he noticed the way she kept guarding herself around him, even when he had gotten her to relax around him. This was a big reason why he was afraid to tell her she was his mate. _

_ The Kuchiki did not run away from battles, he saw that yesterday with the hollow, but she did run away from these feelings. He didn't want her to run away from him, there was no need and no use for it. He wouldn't let her run away but he also would not rush her into suddenly realizing her feelings. _

_ Love was a scary thing, he felt it like that but also empowering and he wondered why she acted as if it would eat her alive. _

_ Was it because of her past?_

_ Was it because of her future?_

_ No, he realized, it was because of the present. He knew she was scared of him when he started to melt the icy layer covering her heart. Bringing more blood to pump inside that delicate state of being that also was ever so strong. _

_ The way she would turn away from him and leave, she needed control over her life and he respected that for falling in love meant losing balance of oneself. _

_ It was the present that scared her when it came to love for she, just like him, never once felt love for another person more than family love. _

_He understood and accepted it because this was part of his life. _

_Werewolves mated for life and their mate was always their soul mate. Even if in their next lives he wouldn't be a werewolf or she wouldn't be witch, love was everlasting. _

_A form that cannot be defeated or destroyed even if time stopped and ceased to exist. _

_ Love has no boundaries and does not obey the law of time. _

_This must be why she was hostile towards him and pushed him away, she does not know how to react to something that was in its purest form and has no limit. _

"_Princess," he called out to her as she placed the white book she found in the Others library and looked up. _

"_What did I say about calling me 'princess,' Kurosaki?"_

"_The same damn thing I said about calling me 'Kurosaki,' princess." He smirked as she groaned and waved her hand at him._

"_Please spare me of this and go on with whatever you were going to say."_

"_I'm going to melt your cold, icy heart."_

"_Are you declaring your love to me, my silly little truffle? What a foolish thing to do." She mocked and got up, "I suggest you stop these mediocre ideas and pay attention to the more important details."_

"_I am." His tone was so low and rough and he saw the widening of her eyes when she saw where he was looking at. She might think nothing of it but her lips were the entrance into softening her hardened heart. He pulled her down until she was face to face with him, he grabbed her small rounded chin and let their lips be on a breath away, "these are very important details I'm willing to pay close attention to." _

_Rukia of course pulled away, gave him an electric spell that shocked him and walked away angrily. It took Ichigo a moment to regain his composure but once he did he swore he heard the ice crack even more. _

"_You should learn about personal space, Kurosaki. It does wonders for your reputation." Rukia called back._

_It will take time but Ichigo was willing to melt his mate's heart, love was scary but it's not meant to be a terror but something ever so wonderful. _

~o~o~o~o~o~

_One week later_

"What's wrong, Ichigo? Do you not trust me?" The blond man appeared through Ichigo's office door with a young blond woman by his side.

"Not that, I feel like you know way too much and you're not telling me anything." The _beta _wolf replied as he took a drag from his cigarette, "who's that?"

"I'm not a _that_ you son of a bitch!" The short blond woman barked, her hair in high pigtails and had freckles on her cheeks. "It's Sarugaki Hiyori!"

Ichigo didn't say anything and Shinji sighed as he fixed his hat, "I don't. I'm just watching over you and your mate. I know the legend about the earth, the high priestess, and the century revival that is needed. I'm quite old after all. I very much believed in it and I do not intend for my life to end." He grinned widely, "Don't get me wrong, Ichigo. I do care about others but I mostly care about my own welfare–" He was kicked by the young blond woman, "and Hiyori, of course!"

"So, you wouldn't care if Rukia died."

"No," Hiyori answered, "we don't. I can understand your pain and drive to save your mate, Kurosaki but we want to live. We want to strive to survive and this is what happened years and years before. If there is no way–"

"–hush, Hiyori!" Shinji growled, "Go wait outside for me!"

"Why should I–"

"Go!" Hiyori grumbled but left the office, slamming the door as she left.

"Sorry about that," Shinji said, "she has a big mouth but she's a good alchemist…she's my partner."

Ichigo's hands were under his desk but he clenched them tightly, white and trembling from the will power to not hit that woman. While others did not care about Rukia's life, he did. He wasn't going to let these words of doubt plant seeds inside of him, he already knew those weeds have been rampaging a mess on Rukia's hopes but it won't be the same for him.

"Don't care," Ichigo answered.

Shinji sighed, "As much as I dislike how she said it…I support what she said."

"Then why are you helping me!"

"Because besides thinking that you might want to spend more time with your mate, I also want you help prevent the death of your mate! I hate the thought of one person needing to die to save the rest…no one should die."

"Who did you lose?" Shinji glanced up as Ichigo leaned back in his chair, "You must have felt the loss of someone to believe in something like that. So, who was it?"

"Some friends of mine…Lisa, Love, and Rojuro; they were the three best damn friends, partners I've ever met. Over a hundred years ago…I fucked up and they were killed. I blame myself because I risked their lives for something that wasn't worth it."

"So you're saying you want to help me?"

"Yeah, I do. Hiyori and I…plus other alchemists will be watching over your mate's movement and the enemies."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_The next day_

"You know him?"

"Yes, I met him when I left…he helped me with my money issues."

Ichigo had Rukia in his office again as he worked. She was sitting on the corner of his desk, one ankle tucked behind another as she read some files he had on his desk.

"And you never mentioned it before?"

Rukia set the file down and picked up a book this time, "I believe I didn't but I guess it was not important at the time. Can we trust them?"

"I discussed this with my father and Yamamoto, they said the alchemists are never evil-doers, they are considered to be part of the Others community however we still need to keep an eye on them. The whole "trust" issue is still at play here. How complicated…we can't even tell the good guys from the bad."

"We should never have to," Rukia shut the book in her hand, "After all, countries reward men for killing other men, and they are 'good' however, should we look over the fact that they have killed? Everyone has the ability to be evil, even the most pacifistic people could act upon an evil deed if provoked. Yet, they do not because of their ideals.

"Actions need to be backed up by reasons. Most do not see soldiers murdering others' soldiers as evil because they are protecting our homes, our country. It is those who murder for no reason that are evil. Those who do not love anything or want to protect anything– that is evil. Their actions are only for their self pleasure."

Ichigo listened to every word she said and looked outside the window where the streets were buzzing with people. "Like I said, 'how complicated,' things should be simpler." Their eyes met, the honey brown of his eyes said many things to her and he wondered if she got any of it.

"Do you mind?" He asked.

"What?"

"Telling me about what's supposed to happen to you." His gaze was unmoving, determined and focused, "I've heard it from everyone else but you." Ichigo wanted her to tell him directly because he wanted to know it was real. Everyone else could reveal the truth to him, but he knew he wasn't convinced until he heard it from Rukia's lips. That was why he never asked her before until now.

He, as much as he tried to suppress it, didn't want to believe that his mate was destined to die.

She didn't move from her place, her mouth dropped open to say something but she instead shut it and looked directly passed him. Almost as if she was hoping the wall would speak for her. She looked down at her lap then to the door before she settled her gaze on him.

"Will it make a difference coming from me, Ichigo?"

"Yeah, it would."

She sighed and brushed her hair behind her ear, "The earth has lost all of its senses over the many years it has lived. It cannot hear, taste, see, smell, or speak but it can feel. Touch is very important, Ichigo. With touch I can at least communicate most of my feelings to you without needing to speak." Rukia's hand grabbed his, "I can feel you and you can feel me, and the way I am holding your hand can send waves of emotions I have within me to you.

"So, the earth that lost these senses needs to feel that there are still beings living on earth. It needs a reason to live; so, before the earth lost all of its senses, it created my soul and then yours. My soul was created to carry the burden of misfortune through its life but the other soul would stand by that grieving soul. Giving it kindness and love, reminding the grieving soul that he will always want her and she too learned that she will always want him.

"However, as simple as it was, 'renewing' the earth; something went wrong and instead of coming back to the world of the living with my soul mate, I would instead die." Rukia long ago had let Ichigo's hand go and had it placed on her lap.

"It has to be you?"

"Yes, the Hōgyoku was placed inside of me as an identifier. It will accept no one else and if I do not cleanse the earth, then within a year's time, it and everyone else on it will die including the realms of magic."

"Then do what you got to do, Rukia, but I'm not going to let you die," he said fierily, "I'll personally be there and bring you back to the world of the living after you fix the earth and all that shit."

"Promising such a thing… it might as well be a lie."

"Rukia, I don't understand a God that would allow us to meet when there is no way for us to be together." Ichigo growled, "You're not meant to die every century but something kept getting in the way and I'm going to make it stop. The rest of your life is meant to be standing next to me, Rukia!"

The corner of her mouth lifted and so did one eyebrow, "I do not know why but I keep forgetting how cocky you are, Ichigo. It might as well be your first name."

"The same way you're so God damn secretive."

"And you are, or once, a detective. It is your job to find out these secrets of mine…or has it gotten too hard for you?"

Ichigo barked a laugh, "Never hard, time consuming but I sure as hell enjoy every minute of it. Now tell me, do you know any more alchemists?"

"Hm, why ask me? Be a good wolf and hunt it out yourself."

"You're testing my patience, Rukia."

"Really? I did not even know you have them."

"Rukia!" Ichigo stood up from his seat but Rukia already hopped off from the desk and ran out the door, "get back here and answer me!" The _beta _wolf yelled as he ran after her, punching his father who happened to be walking down the very same hall, yelling at Ichigo to give him grandchildren.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_May 5_

"_Was this how he felt every time he heard that something terrible happened to me?_" Rukia thought as she ran down a corridor, a pair of footsteps were behind her as she reached for that door.

Earlier that evening Rukia was with Rangiku who came to visit since she was in town, Rangiku still needed to work and with her three month vacation long over, Rukia and her have not met up since Rukia saw her off.

They were at a local restaurant. It wasn't that late in the evening and they were waiting for their food as they chatted. Soft music played and it reminded Rukia of the days before she came to Japan, before the hollow attacks on D.C, this was once her life: dinner with a friend, refinement, champagne, fine dresses, social hierarchy, this was normality for an heir whose father was soon picking out suitors for her.

She was a porcelain doll waiting to be bought and she would never protest against it since she never wanted to bring shame to her father. This was her task as daughter to a wealthy man, to never cause embarrassment to him or the family name.

Now with that phase of her life in the past she felt her wings beating softly in the open air.

She wasn't stuck in a glass jar anymore.

Rangiku has to leave again in the morning, heading to Sri Lanka and Rukia wanted to spend her evening with her. However, she got a call from Isshin and she never thought her heart could stop as her lungs refused to take a breath and the blood in her face drained.

"Can you repeat that once more?" She said in an even tone.

Isshin, on the other end said it again, slowly but reassuringly, "Ichigo's in the hospital, he was in an accident."

"Thank you for telling me, I will be right over." She responded and hung up. "_Keep calm._" Rukia brushed a strand of hair away as Rangiku asked what was wrong. "I need to leave." Rukia dug in her purse and placed bills on the table, way over the amount they ate but Rukia didn't bother to check.

"What? Where?"

"Hospital."

Rukia had gotten up and was heading out the restaurant, Rangiku right behind her as she called a taxi.

"Who's in the hospital, Rukia?"

"Ichigo…my mate." She was sweating now, nervous as the taxi driver pulled up and Rukia entered the car, Rangiku was entering the car as well.

Rukia gave the driver directions as Rangiku yelled, "Is he alright?"

"I do not know."

"How can you be so calm about this!"

Rukia snapped her gaze from the front car window to Rangiku's, "Who says I am calm?"

Rangiku eyes widened and noticed that Rukia was tense, her small hands in fists, face still pale and a sheet of sweat was smearing on her. Rukia's eyes had so many emotions rushing through them; Rangiku didn't know what to say.

Rukia was a woman that never looked so disarray before. Her face might look strained but she was tapping her finger and shaking her leg, glancing out the window impatiently.

Rangiku watched Rukia as they arrived to the hospital. Rukia, once again, paid more than needed and rushed out the car. The nymph briskly walked into the hospital and told the receptionist to tell her where Ichigo was. It wasn't a question and the receptionist, frightened from the stern and demanding tone Rukia had, didn't take it as one.

The closer they got to Ichigo's room, the faster Rukia walked until she started to run. Sprinting down the hall Rukia even got scolded from some workers as she did, but Rukia didn't slow down and instead got faster.

This was a strange sight for Rangiku, she had never once saw Rukia this frantic. Rukia was so confident, assured and secured before but now, it was almost like something was about to be taken from her if she wasn't there.

Rukia burst into the room, gasping for air from how fast she ran, Rangiku behind her was heaving as she was bending over holding her stomach. Rukia didn't say anything but looked at every face in the room until she settled on Ichigo's.

Ichigo who was up and fine; arguing with his father moments before and now was staring at her with a confused face. "Rukia…did you run here for me?" Even Rangiku, who was still gasping for air heard the smug tone in his voice.

Rangiku shifted her gaze to look at Rukia and was shocked to find the young and normal poised heir blushing tremendously as she covered one side of her face with her hand and was looking down. "Oji-san…why did you–"

"You were fooled too, eh Rukia-nee?" There was a young black haired girl in the room, in a high school uniform. Karin was her name, if Rangiku remembered correctly from what Rukia said.

"We were too," The other teen next to Karin had to be Yuzu, with sandy brown hair.

"I already gave pop a punch in the face for it." Karin grumbled as she glared at her father.

"Yeah, Daddy! That's not something to mess around with!" Yuzu cried at him as she pouted and looked away, "I'm starting to think Karin was right about you being a no-good-father."

Isshin suddenly looked heartbroken, "It was only a joke! You understand, right Rukia-chan."

Rukia who recovered from her embarrassment glared at Isshin and coldly told him, "No."

"I'm leaving," Karin abruptly said.

"Me too, I need to finish making dinner." Yuzu followed her sister.

"Ah, Rangiku would you like to join us?" Isshin asked as he got his own coat.

"Yeah, you should, there's going to be extra tonight." Karin said.

"Especially with Ichi-nii and Rukia-nee staying here and Daddy not eating dinner as punishment."

"What!" Isshin cried.

"Sure! I already ate but I can eat some more!" Rangiku said as she happily followed the twins, "I'll see you later, Rukia!"

"That's not fair!" Isshin cried once more as he left the room, "It was a joke; it's supposed to be funny!"

Ichigo on the hospital bed stared at Rukia who was still avoiding him. He got shot while investigating a report that a suspicious person was around the hotel. He thought nothing of it and went to look into it himself with two other werewolves.

He was right.

It was a desperate man looking for a way to get cash for his brother's surgery. What Ichigo didn't expect was the man to have a gun and shoot him. Normally, Ichigo would transform into his wolf or were form to heal the wound, but the human man stayed and called for help as Ichigo bled.

The man was taken to jail–Ichigo wasn't going to press any charges–as Ichigo was taken to the hospital. There was no chance for Ichigo to transform; luckily at the human hospital there was an Other's doctor that took charge of him. Isshin was informed from the other two wolves about what happen and the old _alpha _decided on his own to play a prank on the girls

It fooled them all and made every single one upset.

Ichigo expected them to be upset but he never expected Rukia to look so flustered. He knew he shouldn't feel happy about it but he was. Rukia lost her cool composure for him and he felt so damn smug about it. He knew he shouldn't say much about it, it would annoy Rukia but he couldn't help but ask, "Worried?"

"Of course not," She responded hastily as she went and sat down. She was looking out the window, still avoiding his gaze.

"Really?"

"Did I not just say I was not worried?"

"Why's your face red?" He pried.

"I had a fever."

"No you don't."

"Exactly, I 'had a fever,' past tense, Ichigo."

Ichigo nodded his head, "Okay, why were you sweating?"

"It was hot in the elevator."

"What about the air conditioning?"

"It was broken."

"Why were you gasping for breath earlier?"

"I have asthma." She finally barked at him, "Anything more?"

"Why's your face red again?" Ichigo didn't hear her respond as quickly as she normally did. She just stared at him and he felt his own face swelling with heat. Like the rolling heat of summer days, the beating sun on his skin, warming him up unnecessarily but it was relaxing.

He watched as Rukia got up and stood in front of him, "Why is your face red, Ichigo?" He finally turned his face away from her, "Fool, you did not answer me."

"Can't you see?" He asked, "I just got shot."

The evening grew darker, the moon and stars became brighter and in the midst of the room was the spring night silence. The time ticked away calmly, the season of birth and movement, plants and trees growing their leaves and roots.

A time of realization.

"You got shot because some man happened to bring a gun…you are not careful enough Ichigo. How do you expect me to believe that you will protect me?"

Ichigo groaned, "Don't nag me, I already got that enough from my old man."

The beeping of the monitor was louder when Rukia didn't respond. She was staring at her feet, thinking carefully as to what she wanted to say and how to say it.

"Fool, protecting me does not matter." She began, breaking the silence once again, "Getting shot and ending up in the hospital again…you had me worried."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Two days later_

"Thank God for that doctor," Keigo chirped happily, "if he wasn't there, then you'd be stuck in the hospital for a month with your 'slowly recovering gunshot wound'."

"You got that right, waste of time in there. All I needed to do was change forms." The _beta _wolf snarled.

"Stop being childish," Rukia walked next to Ichigo as he chided Keigo, "and do not encourage him."

"Of course Kuchiki-san!" Keigo gushed, "and might I say you are looking ravishing this morning."

"Whose side are you on?" Ichigo barked at Keigo.

"Kuchiki-san's! You know I'll always side with a beautiful woman." Keigo leered at Rukia, a smile so wide that it didn't last for three seconds until Ichigo punched his old friend away.

"What did I say about making moves on Rukia?"

"You'll punch me." The male on the ground said with a groan.

They were in Ichigo's office once more, Rukia sitting on her self-proclaimed seat as she listened more to Ichigo and Keigo's nattering. She closed her eyes, still a tad sleepy but she didn't dare yawn.

The noise suddenly stopped and Rukia opened her eyes, Keigo and Ichigo were looking outside and she followed their gaze. Falling from the sky and spouting from the floor were hollows, five from the count of it.

They were all searching for something, stopping around and flinging park benches, pressing down lamp posts, and so on. Rukia and Ichigo were already racing down the stairs, Keigo stumbling behind them.

"I will take left," Rukia said.

Ichigo glanced at her and nodded, "I'll take right, Keigo you got forward!"

"What!" The satyr cried out.

Ichigo increased his speed, Rukia pulled her wand out from her sleeve, and Keigo fumbled with pulling out his gun that recently got blessed.

They all went their separate ways.

Rukia swiftly blocked the smallest hollow's path and swung her wand in its direction, "_Incinerāre Morti_." She said in a calm voice, the hollow was engulfed in flames and not even ten seconds passed before it crumpled and passed on.

With that hollow down, she saw the gathering of humans and she casted another spell, "Freeze," and with the glowing circlet suspended above her heart, time was frozen. A floating clock made of ice hung in the air as it ticked away, counting down to the moments until the humans melt from their statue like form and gained life once more.

Rukia faced the next hollow that was more powerful than the first, "Now, you are not going to play hard to get, are you? I like my preys easy…even if they are class five hollows."

Keigo wasn't having much luck with his own hollow, "Holy fuck. Holy fuck. What should I do? What should I do" The hollow in front of him was a newborn, but poor Keigo didn't know and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

He even got scared when the world turned into a scheme of pale gold, everything around him stopped even the people even the birds. "Fuck!" He yelled and that made the hollow notice him and Keigo aimed his gun, "Fuck a duck. Fuck my life. Oh God…" The small hollow began to charge towards him and Keigo began to shoot. One bullet entered an arm, another in its thigh but it kept moving, faster with every hit.

"Shit!" The final shot entered its skull when it was a breath away from him. It fell on top of him, a dead heap of weight bleeding all over him. "Oh my God…" The hollow soon began to disappear, its body dissolving into bright flakes of light and floated up.

He sat up once the hollow disappeared completely and looked down on himself. "I'm covered in blood," He cried.

On the other side Ichigo swiftly killed one hollow and fought the other who kept dodging his shots. "You're getting on my nerves, you son of a bitch!" He shouted and changed form. Rukia froze their surroundings and that would give him enough time to kill the hollow, which would be much quicker than shooting the annoying little bugger.

He opted for his were form, his bones shifted, muscle melted and formed around his new form as hair grew all over him and his height increased immensely. His eyes now changed to gold irises. His claws were extended and his snarl showed large teeth.

The hollow backed away slightly, nervous at the sight but kept his stance. Ichigo took his own stance, the panels of his face drawn in harsh lines. The hollow gave a forced laugh and whipped the long tail he had to the right where spikes shot out.

He was ready for the attack but he didn't expect it to come from his side. He quickly jumped back, barely avoiding the fatal assault that hit the ground instead of him. Dirt heaved upwards and he was momentarily in a cloud of brown confusion.

A cry came from in front of him and he knew the hollow was dead and when the layers of dust settled back down, in the midst of it stood one of the men he wanted to rip apart. Grimmjow was too in his were form as he grinned and morphed to his human form.

Ichigo, accepting the challenge did as well and he was once again only in his torn pants that hung loosely on him. "What're you doing here?"

"Boss man felt it was necessary to remind the Others we're still here, of course!" The Espada said, "It's been awhile, I miss your faces…especially yours." Ichigo already knew who he was talking to, he smelled Rukia approaching him with Keigo behind her. "Come here little pretty, let me take a _gander_ at you."

"The only fucking 'gander' you'll be taking are bullets through your fucking eye sockets!" Rukia shook her head but said nothing at Ichigo; she might as well let him have this one moment of being alpha male. Not only that, but she would really have said something so completely more vulgar than what Ichigo had said that it would make her own late mother cry in shock at how she turned out.

"Who's he?" Keigo whispered next to Rukia.

"An Espada," She whispered back.

"No need to be hostile, dip shit." Grimmjow tugged his own shorts up, "Like I said, I just came to give you guys…or more like little Miss Rukia a message: 'Time is running out and no amount of spells and magic will be able to save you.' Cliché, isn't it? But hey! That's how life rolls…at least yours does. No worries though, I asked the Boss man to at least give me one night with you and I even asked that if you make it through this shit that I can own you."

"You son of a bitch, you even fucking touch her I swear I'll kill you!" Ichigo snarled.

Rukia still was quiet.

"Ideal threats…you can't defeat me, mutt."

Keigo looked shocked at how the Espada was disrespecting Ichigo and basically hitting on Rukia.

"If that's it leave, Grimmjow!" Ichigo's heart was pounding with rage, he felt the desire of letting his inner beast roar free and rip the Espada apart.

"Yes. Yes." The were-jaguar chuckled, "But here are some parting gifts."

He charged at them, first kicking Keigo away who was slammed into a wall and groaned as he tasted his own blood. Ichigo instantly pushed his mate away, prepared for a fight. Instead he felt a shocking pain in his right palm followed by his left.

Grimmjow got a sword from up his ass or somewhere and stabbed Ichigo's hand onto the ground. He was shocked and he suddenly remembered a day back in his soldier life. In the midst of battle he actually had a shot rip through his left hand. Since he was with humans, he couldn't change and the wound got infected but healed faster than a human's would.

He was told one more wound and they were not sure if he'll be able to use his hand again after all the nerve, bone, and muscle damage. However, the shock and that flashback only lasted for two seconds before he turned his hand and saw Grimmjow close to Rukia, cheek to cheek.

"Don't touch her!"

The blue haired man did not turn to acknowledge him but he did smirk and placed his hand on Rukia's arm. He ran it down until he took a hold of her hand and gave her something.

He whispered into her ear and he heard every word, "It's time to find the last puzzle piece, Miss Rukia and then you and I can be together before death comes and takes you away."

"Grimmjow!" He shouted again and pulled against the sword that trapped him, "Get away from her!"

Then there was a rip in the sky above him and Ichigo felt cold, thinking that Grimmjow was going to take Rukia away. Instead, he placed his hand on Rukia's cheek and lips which she swiftly slapped away, and he flew up and vanished in the jagged black hole.

Feet away, Keigo was struggling to get up as the gold hue around them vanished and time began again. Luckily, where they were was in the back parking lot of a large building. Rukia was running towards Ichigo, falling onto her knees before she made a full stop and gently began to pull the sword away.

He could feel it in his throat the most but he could also feel in it the tip of his hairs down to his toes. The trembles of fear that washed over him and then relief that shook him, he didn't know what to say so he asked how she felt. "You okay?" He asked, "How are you feeling, Rukia? You're trembling."

"Silence," She commanded, "It is already difficult freeing you." She stopped tugging on the sword and looked up at him, "You are shaking."

"Shut up." Rukia sighed and pulled the sword more until it clanked on the ground and Rukia began to heal Ichigo. "Fuck…" The word was almost not said but it came out in a low, shuddered whisper that Rukia barely heard. "You were almost taken away from me again."

The glow on his hand did not falter even as Rukia went and kissed him, "Fool…I will always be with you."

* * *

**Review? **

**See you in two weeks. 3**


	30. Chapter 29

_**Chapter 29**_

_**Hello**_

"_Hello?"_

_ "Hello!" _

_In the darkness, she screamed again and again. Hoping that someone would answer her, "Please, someone answer me! Hello!" _

_She was a girl quick to be in tears, even if she was thirteen and was told she was now a woman, she still cried like a baby. "Hello!" Her voice screeched into the air and no one answered her. To think, a phrase she was so used to using every day; a phrase that would amount to nothing to mostly be a jewel actually covered in dirt waiting to be revealed. _

"_Hello!"_

_A five letter word that somehow became the basis of most relationships, before uttering this word, we were strangers. Strangers that could live the rest of our lives without each other, never impacting each other and yet, it was this simple word that can change each other and start the relationship and friendships._

"_Hello?" The girl asked again, but she knew no one was going to answer her; her voice was scaring all of them away. She wept some more, saying that five letter word over and over again. _

'_Hello' was a basic interaction between two people or even more, and it builds an acknowledgement that one was real and has an opinion, a personality, and is a person. To get an answer was almost similar to getting recognition that you were someone. _

"_Hello," The young girl stopped her crying and looked up. From the darkness was a piercing light and in the middle of the light stood another girl; younger than her, maybe by a year or two. She had a round face, large dark blue, maybe even violet eyes, and short hair. The girl was blinking at her and gave a curtsy, "I am Kuchiki Rukia…are you Momo?"_

_Momo nodded her head and rubbed her eyes, "I'm Momo."_

"_Your Mother is looking for you, how did you get stuck in here?"_

"_I don't know…I was playing and I fell into a hole but instead of coming out, I was st-stuck in the darkness." Momo began crying again, "And no one would answer me when I cried out for them because of my…my voice!"_

"_I did," Momo snuffled and saw Rukia smile, "I promise if you say 'hello' and no one answers you, I will. Come on, we have to get you out and return you to your mother, she is worried sick."_

_Rukia's hand was out, small and steady as Momo reached and grabbed it. Rukia pulled and from the darkness Momo was greeted by the light of the moon and stars. _

"_Hello, I'm Momo," Momo whispered once more. _

"_Hello, I am Rukia," the other girl answered. _

Hello, thank you for acknowledging me.

~o~o~o~o~o~

There was a heavy silence in the meeting room where Ichigo, Rukia, Isshin, Ishida, and Yamamoto sat. In the midst of them were screens surrounding each side, each screen had a representative's face.

In front of Rukia were the items that were handed to her by Grimmjow: two talismans and the crossed keys laying on the table as a solemn symbol. When they were taken away she felt relived. Entirely and fully relieved because for a while, she could pretend she was just Kuchiki Rukia, nothing more and nothing less.

Now with these articles back in her life, the weight was harsh in her hands when she carried them inside the room. Having them on display before her was as if her future was slipping away again.

"He returned them to you?" Soi Fong's voice drifted through the large screen.

Rukia glanced up.

"And he gave you no reasons as to why?" Hitsugaya asked.

Rukia folded her hands over her lap, "The only reason he gave them to me is because of time…his higher up is getting impatient I suppose and wants me to find the last talisman."

"Do you have any idea where it's at?" Aizen asked in a concerned voice.

Rukia shook her head.

"If she finds the last talisman, would it automatically make you cleanse the earth?" Isshin asked her over the table to which she shook her head.

"No, it should not. The cleansing happens during the northern hemisphere winter solstice."

"See," Kenpachi yawned, "even if the little princess gets her hand on the talisman she's got nothing to worry about."

"Unless they kidnap her and hold her hostage until the winter solstice!" Ichigo snapped.

"The mutt's right," Byakuya said from his side, "My daughter is already in danger and even more when she finds the last talisman."

"Look, we need to move according to the last agreement," The young Isane finally got the courage to speak, "if she gets a vision she'll tell us and will not go off by herself."

"You're quite right, Miss Isane." Yamamoto said, "The same rules will apply even now but I want more security."

"We also need to find a way to throw the Espada off," Komamura said.

"Why not send her back to the States?" Gin pondered, "They would expect her to be with the Kurosaki's, and it could throw them off."

"No!" Ichigo snarled and shot up from his seat, "I won't allow Rukia to be taken from me, unprotected and far away from me! It's dangerous!"

"It's dangerous if she stays here," Ishida responded, "It's dangerous if she goes back to D.C. It's dangerous everyway but if she's over there we can buy time."

"I agree. I was about to suggest that idea myself," Byakuya said, silencing Ichigo. "Rukia's responsibility there can no longer be postponed, and D.C. is the new territory for the Espada, we can buy time."

_~o~o~o~o~o~_

"What? You think I like this too, Ichigo?"

"You could have said 'no', Rukia." Ichigo angrily growled.

"I was supposed to be here for only three months, instead I've been here for…far longer than I expected."

"You can't count the time you were away for…a month or something."

"I have been away for about six months, Ichigo. I need to go home."

"So? This is your home now."

"No, it is not and I have other priorities back home." She tried to reason as she went to pack more items away. "And I need to leave…for my protection."

Ichigo slammed her suitcase shut and cornered her to the wall, "I can protect you."

She was holding the folded dresses neatly and looked up at him, there was amusement in her eyes as she reached up, about to kiss him but didn't, "You are being childish, Ichigo." She whispered against his lips, "You cannot always protect me."

"Then…what if Byakuya suddenly decided to get you married off to one of his business partner's son?" He growled, and held her close around the waist, one arm propped against the wall, "And I'm not there to break said son of a bitch's neck?" He was covering up his worry, and he was sure she knew that he was.

"I am pretty sure my father will not do such a thing and if he did I will not allow it. There is no need to marry me off now that you…"

"Mated and claimed you as mine?" He offered.

"I am not a property, Ichigo. And no, it's not a claim but a declaration of your preference on me."

"Claim," He offered again, "Because there's no way in hell anything I do with you will sound that _professional_. Unless you're willing to pretend to be my secretary, I'll be your boss and we can–"

"Yes. Yes." Rukia cut him off, ignoring him as she pulled the arm around her off, "Now, let me pack."

"I don't want you to go."

"Then come with me."

"You know I can't."

"And you know I cannot stay here for much longer," Rukia finished packing and placed the suitcase on the ground and sat on Ichigo's old bed. "I need to finish business back home."

Ichigo frowned and looked around his old bedroom; it was still the same even after Rukia stayed here for a few weeks. She did not touch or move anything, kept everything the same even after his father told her she could move things around.

"Are you happy…about going home?" Ichigo sensibly asked her.

Rukia laid herself on the bed, the ceiling stared right back at her as she wondered herself, "It is…a 'yes' and 'no' answer. I am happy to go home again; I miss my bedroom, sleeping in my own bed and I miss my house with all my books and my study." She turned her head towards Ichigo who was pouting now and smiled at him, "But…it will be strange not seeing you every day. Sadly, I have gotten used to having your face around, I do not know why though."

"You don't?" Ichigo slowly smirked at her.

She closed her eyes and stretched her arms, "No, I do not even have a clue as to why. As my father said, 'if you need to see his face, you can always go to the pound.'"

"I'm going to–"

"What?" She said with a smirk.

"Nothing," He leaned over her prone form and gave her grin, "I was just going to offer you that I'm always willing to remind you why you're going to miss me."

"Of course you are," She huffed; her eyes still closed even as Ichigo descended down and caught her lips.

He kissed her deeply, pouring his emotion into her as he breathed in hers. Their lips and tongues danced with each other, Ichigo's hands already began to wander about, going under her dress and feeling her smooth skin. The warmth of his hand came as a shock and she moaned his name. His hand found the edge of her panty and pulled the sheer fabric off.

He cupped her; the heavy heated flesh panted against his hand and was plump to his touch. Rukia gasped and made small noises as he caressed her, and finally moaning when he thrust two fingers inside of her. "Please…" She whimpered and he moved his fingers, stroking her flames until her fluids were coursing down his hand.

As embarrassing as it was, Rukia couldn't tell him to stop or to even stop staring at her. His eyes never left her face, his eyes focused and fingers demanding. Her hand grabbed the arm between her legs as she arched and came undone.

Ichigo heard her pants as he licked his fingers clean and unzipped his pants and got both of them undressed, "Are you sure you want to leave me, now?"

Rukia pulled away, face red and eyes mildly upset but she had a coy smile on her face, "Please, I am capable of using my hand, unlike you."

Ichigo's grin fell to a glower, "Lucky you."

Ichigo's hands gripped her thighs and pried them open and thrust in. He might as well go to rehab because he sure as hell was addicted to making love with Rukia. The rush of tingling warmth that washed over him every time they connect like this. Where he would pump into her with no resistance, where she would squeeze him and drive him insane.

He pulled himself closer to her, wrapped his arms around her waist and grunted with every forceful push he took. Rukia accepted him fully, her ankles crossed behind his back, holding him there as hands tangled in his hair.

She pulled him down and kissed him, moaning as she came again and he soon followed after. They both panted heavily, Rukia more than he, and Ichigo grinned as he licked the side of her neck.

They laid there in a blind blissful ecstasy, their bodies heated from their straining activity and hearts thumping against their chests. Ichigo lowered himself onto her, hugging his mate but not removing himself from within her.

"God, Rukia, how am I suppose to live without you?" He asked, expecting her to answer with a witty comeback. Instead she said nothing and kissed him.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_A month and three weeks later: June 8__th_

Ichigo tapped his finger against the table, his scowl ever so present as he waited for nothing. He stared out the window of his office in the _Supra Natural _and wondered if it was time for him to go home already.

His little sisters had visited him already, the two extremely happy to spend time with their only brother. Yuzu brought food, Karin brought him a DVD to watch for later and both happily chatted with him.

Chad was at the _Supra Natural _earlier that day, reporting news and crimes that involved the Others. He kept track with his pack members, one of the female werewolves recently found her mate. He was completely human with no awareness of Others and Ichigo, along with his father, had to break the news to the human cautiously. That was a week ago and they married yesterday evening.

Ichigo, along with the rest of the pack, watched; he with more envy than most single werewolves since he found his mate but still have not wed. His father patted his back and gave Ichigo a smile, "Don't worry son, she'll be back soon."

By she, Isshin meant Rukia who left Japan to go back home to D.C. The Other Council decided it was safe enough and the rest of the councilors also went back to their respectable countries. Rukia has been gone for more than a month now, almost two months. Every day they talked though; the minimum they called each other was twice, but sometimes twice a day was not enough for one of them and they end up calling each other more times for no reason.

If it wasn't for her phone calls, the scent of her on his bed, Ichigo would have thought that he dreamt Rukia up. She was still that faceless beauty under the moonlight all those months ago and he was still dreaming.

The clock struck seven and Ichigo finally got up from his seat. It was time to go home to his empty but new house. He exited his office that was relatively close to his father's office. He bid his father goodbye and entered the elevator. His office on the floor that was the border line between the rooms for Others and humans. Ichigo rode the elevator down many floors and got off when he reached the lobby.

It was now bubbling with life once more after the bombing. Ichigo walked out of the building, not even noticing the waving Inoue. He got into his car and drove away, driving towards the new direction of his home.

It was further away than his old home but closer to his father's house; it was a six minute walk according to his sisters. Ichigo pulled up to his house, the structure was larger than his old home.

The outside was painted cream white, there were good amount of windows and each had dark blue shutters on them. The entrance of the house was almost hidden; you needed to go through the front fence and down a decent pathway before one could get to the double door which stood underneath a large archway of vines with white flowers buds ready to bloom. It was a family home, one that he knew Rukia would like.

With that thought in his mind, a smile made itself known on his face as he parked his car inside the garage. He entered his home, tossed the keys on the table and dragged himself to the kitchen to make a sandwich. He ate it, took a shower, grabbed a beer and downed it before he went to bed.

This had become such a daily schedule that when his cell phone rang at four in the morning, he jumped out of his bed with fists up and ready to fight. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Ichigo looked around his room and glanced at his phone next to his bed.

It was his father calling and he quickly answered, "Better be good old man."

"Get to the hotel now, shit hit the fan."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"What's going on?" Ichigo promptly asked as he entered the large conference room. Not even bothering to put his cigarette out. He noticed that his father had already gone through three sticks. His father, Urahara, and Yamamoto stood there as the projector screen was set behind the elder dragon. A white light shined on the screen and soon it blinked into color. "Old man, what's going on?" Ichigo growled this time.

"We've been exposed." Urahara answered and Ichigo's face then mirrored theirs. The grim expression settled as the newsfeed began to suddenly talk.

_ "Breaking news folks, fairytale creatures we have heard since we were children are not in our books anymore. Moments ago we have received real live footage, and I repeat _real_ life footage of what appears to be wizards, witches, werewolves, vampires, and dragons appearing in the midst of the D.C strike that happened last year._

_ "This video had been checked and has been cleared for not being tampered with. Now, as you can see from the footage, a black…monster seems to appear and attacks buildings and monuments in D.C. Only seconds after the monster attacks did our fairytale creatures appear and protect D.C. As from what we can tell, there are creatures turning into werewolves and wizards and witches casting 'spells'. _

_ "The lights and sounds that were created from these supernatural beings are the same sounds and lights by passers had seen at the time. Before this video, not many knew what caused these lights and how buildings were damaged. Rumors floated that it was an attack from terrorist, theories that it was the U.S government that had done the attack. _

_ "So far, given from the information given by an unknown source, the Kuchiki family and friends of the family are suspected of being supernatural and–oh, wait; forces have stormed the Kuchiki residences. _

_ "We're getting live feedback; on to you, Christine."_

_ "Thank you Julie, I am here outside of the beautiful Kuchiki residence, one of the wealthiest families in the United States. As you can see, there is a large group of law enforcers behind me, all ready to storm into the Kuchiki's residence if necessary. From the given information, Byakuya Kuchiki and his daughter, Rukia Kuchiki, are going to be taken into custody for questioning. _

_ "Family friend Renji Abarai and Uryu Ishida are also going to be taken into custody. Oh, they're taking action. They are storming into the residence. There is fighting and they're taking someone out. Oh, it's Renji Abarai; he's bleeding badly from his face and is handcuffed. They are now bringing out another person: it's Rukia Kuchiki. _

_ "It appears that she is wearing a dress–Ah, that's right, tonight she was to attend the party of one suitor, Ashido Kano. Miss Rukia, as well, is cuffed but she remains unharmed. _

_ "'Miss Kuchiki, please answer some questions! Is the supernatural real? Are you a witch, a fairy, or a werewolf? Miss Kuchiki?' She's saying nothing and the officers are leaving the house…I got a word that Byakuya Kuchiki was detained at his work place and is going to be united with his daughter later on today. _

"_That's all I have for now, back to you Julie."_

_ "Thank you Christine, now that footage is from–"_

Yamamoto aged before their eyes as he said in a chilling low voice, "They know."

"Where the fuck did that tape came from?" Isshin snarled.

"It seems that this was planned from the beginning." Yamamoto said, his eyes fixated on the still screen.

Isshin's phone rang and soon after the _Alpha _cursed and slammed his phone on the table, "They arrested Shunsui and Ukitake as well. They got tapes on them."

"We are exposed; we only have two things to do." Urahara looked over to the elder dragon, "It is your call, what should we do?"

Yamamoto kept still, unmoving as the rest of the room was unsteady under their feet. "The world will learn who we are. We will not hide in the shadows no longer! Kurosaki, gather the rest of the council members, this will be the day the beings of the night will be brought to light."

"Got it. Ichigo we are–where are you going?"

Ichigo already had the door opened as his father said his name, "I'm going to D.C., Rukia needs me." was his answer before he left the room and not even two hours later, Ichigo was in the air flying to America.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I am sorry for tonight, Ashido." Rukia gave a small smile at the human who bailed her out.

"No need to apologize, Rukia; your father asked me to look after you when we first met and that's what I intend to do." Ashido smiled at her, his dark red locks were full spikes. A large lock fell between his face, his brown eyes serious but she saw kindness in them. He was a handsome young man, he would had become her husband through business agreements if it wasn't for her meeting Ichigo. "If it is not too much for me to say, you look very lovely tonight."

Rukia glanced down at her dress, the black gown was strapless, secured tightly around her waist and flowing down past her ankles. There was a slit that showed her leg and she had a shawl that was left at the police department. Her heels were also gone, taken from her and she did not bother to collect them. The once prim layers of hair that were curled and slipped up were now a mess of curls lounging around her shoulders.

"I believe you mean 'looked', after being locked up for a couple of hours I am hoping for a shower."

"I would offer to take you home but it's sealed off, would you like to shower here or do you want to get a hotel?"

"Even if I wanted a hotel room, I have no money with me, I left everything at home and I do not wish to impose on you any further than necessary."

"I'll have one of the maids show you to your room, then." Ashido smiled at her and went to look for a maid; when he returned he gave Rukia away to the maid and bid her goodnight.

The maid was a kind elderly woman and smiled when she showed Rukia her room, "I'll bring some of the master's clothing for now; I'll send someone to buy some respectable clothing for you in the morning, Miss Rukia. Leave the dress on the bed and I'll have it clean and ready for you tomorrow morning."

Rukia gave a smile, "Thank you for the hospitality."

"Not at all, lovely, I always hope one day you'll become my mistress as well…but I see someone has stolen your heart." The maid chuckled and there was a faint glimmer in her eyes, "Ah, to be young. Well, goodnight Miss Rukia."

Rukia shut her mouth and nodded dumbly as she suppressed her blush, "Goodnight."

She was led to a large room, pastel blues and cream whites were the schemes in the room. A queen size bed, a couch with a table, a dresser, a vanity, and so on. Rukia stripped her dress before she went straight to the bathroom. She wiped the small amount of make-up off and turned the shower on.

Ashido still did not know of Ichigo and her being in a relationship with him, that was the point of her coming to his party, she wanted to decline his offer of marriage. However, now with all of this, she guessed it has to wait for a bit.

She tested the water's temperature, biting her lip at the cold stabs of droplets hitting her. She tossed her bra to the side, slipped off her pantyhose and panty as she entered the shower. The cold knives pierced her skin and she stayed in there for a long time; her eyes shut and ignoring the pain as she relished it all.

Rukia finally opened her eyes and began to shower properly when she heard her bedroom door open. She assumed it was the maid getting her dress. It was after a few minutes when Rukia was done with her hair and moved to her body did she hear the bathroom door open.

She paused and when she was about to call out the maid's name, the shower's curtain was pushed aside and she stood naked in front of him.

"What you are doing is quite rude," She said.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Ah, Ichigo, over here!" Mizuiro Kojima, high school friend of Ichigo, waved at the _beta _in the crowded airport. The vampire gave a small smile to his old friend when they were face-to-face and the vampire began to lead them out of the airport. "Sorry for everything that's happened."

"Ah, it's not your fault and sorry that you have to cancel your trip to New York to help me, but have you heard anything about–"

"Miss Rukia?" Mizuiro grinned at him, "She–on the contrary for Ishida, Renji, and Mr. Kuchiki–was released thanks to _her _Mr. Kano."

"'Her Mr. Kano'?" In every crevice of the airport, there was buzz of the news of fairytale creatures being revealed. It surrounded them and Ichigo noticed Mizuiro's nervous glances around the large open area. Of course he would be more nervous than most Others, he was a vampire and like most myths about them, he was pale and had issues going out in the sun.

Mizuiro, unlike most vampires however, actually made a pact with the devil to live for eternity; he was required to suck human blood if he wanted to continue living. He could be considered an "original" vampire and because of this, he was not entirely affected by the sunlight like most humans converted into vampires.

They hate the smell of garlic and it does kill weaker vampires but unlike myths they do not need an invitation to go into someone's home, their strength measures into how many years they've been alive. His reflection does not exist so he had to be careful with that now. His eyes were red, his fangs were retractable, and Mizuiro also did not have a hive.

Vampires, like weres who had their packs, have hives where their Queen was the original vampire. However, since Mizuiro became a vampire through a deal he was not part of a hive which was why he roamed so freely.

"Ashido Kano, son of Lillian and Shouta Kano, and heir of the Kano's industry. He's currently courting your mate and plans on making a union with her and her father's business." The young vampire grinned when Ichigo stopped and the werewolf's left eye began to twitch. "I heard they get along _very_ well."

"What?" Ichigo growled furiously.

"You haven't heard?" Mizuiro teased, "Mr. Kano has been courting Miss Rukia for more than a year and an half now; supposedly this was the night where he was going to announce his engagement to her. Why else was she wearing that pretty dress and was all dolled up?"

A snarl then ripped from Ichigo's throat, "You better not be fucking with me, Mizuiro because I brought my gun with me…and Rukia would never accept his proposal!"

Ichigo reddened as Mizuiro snickered, "Well, he even bought her a ring to make it official, according to some magazines."

"Not unless I put ten rounds of bullets up his ass," As much as he tried not to worry about this human man with his mate, tried to reassured himself because he knew his mate, Rukia wasn't the type to do such a thing. Ichigo couldn't help but feel the spouting seeds of fear and doubt.

After all, he was just a _beta _werewolf, and in comparison to the world Rukia was accustomed to…he might as well be dog howling to his moon.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I am quite cold." Rukia and Ashido stood outside in the Kano's estate's backyard which was incredibly large.

"I asked if you wanted something else to wear."

"That was not yours." Ashido kept walking with Rukia following him; she was only wearing his red dress shirt and was wet and naked underneath the flimsy cloth that barely covered the bottom of her ass.

If it wasn't for her Kuchiki up-bring she would have already lost her composure.

Ashido was pointing a gun at her and she had no choice but to do as he said. So, no shoes, no panty, no bra, nothing except for his dress shirt and to think, she thought he was a nice man. Sure, she was going to deny his proposal and wanted to tell him beforehand but now…she was so confused by him.

He was never a violent man, kind and considerate of her feelings and passions. Not at all gentle when it came to politics and the business world, this was why her father profoundly approved of him. Rukia wondered what exactly made him get upset all the sudden. Was he angry with the fact that she was arrested for suspicion for being an Others? Had he found out? Was he one of those people who are radicals against Others?

Then again, he got her here almost naked and it was humiliating.

He was whistling slightly, Rukia could hear the faint noise as he led them deeper to his garden until he stopped inside of a gazebo. The metal archways with vines crawling over the structure were beautiful. It wasn't her first time there either; this was where she met him over a year ago.

The large gazebo could fit eight people under its unprotected roof but it also had a large oak tree growing from the middle of it, its branches and leaves covered the roof of the gazebo. Ashido beckoned her closer which she complied and they were only half a foot away from one another. "Normally I would ask you what has made you displeased, but–"

"You are the one displeasing me." Rukia responded back quickly, her arms on her sides as he cupped her face and stuck the gun next to her temple. "I hope you know…this is not a proper way to propose to a lady."

The skin contact was a relief to Rukia as she went and read what his plan was; however, she was surprised that she couldn't read anything too deep into his mind. She was just hearing what he was doing at the moment, almost like a retelling.

What a focused man.

"Why should I propose to you when I know the answer is going to be 'yes'?" He let go of her cheek and pressed the gun closer to her temple.

"Because it is not," Rukia rebutted.

Ashido was shocked at first, "Why's that? If I remember you said no one's worth being loved by you and vise versa; to fall in love with you is already a curse but for you to love them too is a fate that will lead to despair and death. Those were your exact words, was it not?"

"Does not matter for I… was found by someone who made me see my worth beyond my beauty and heritable power."

"Lucky man, I've been trying to get you to fall for me ever since I met you."

"You are not the only one." The young lady mocked as she watched Ashido look down on her and stepped away, "Why did you call me out here, Ashido?"

"What are you?"

"I am Rukia Kuchiki of the–"

"–I said 'what' not 'who', Rukia!"

"What I am and who I am is the same."

"Fairytale creatures, are you one of them?" Ashido affirmed his grip on his gun, "are you?"

"Is your opinion of me changing because of these rumors? Your feelings for me?"

"Rukia Kuchiki, I already told you, you are the most compatible for me." Ashido dropped his arm and smiled at her, "You know I would never kill you over an assumption."

"Then why point the gun at me?"

"Rukia, the supernatural is real." Rukia said nothing, "They call themselves 'Others' and my family, the Kano, we are officers that balance the Others and humans. Since the D.C attack, and seeing you there when it happened, my family wanted to capture and question the Kuchiki if they were involved. The Kano are protectors, not killers and we protect the humans from Others."

"The leaked videos, did they come from–"

"No, never, we would never release such evidence to the public; but they confirmed my grandfather's suspicions and he wanted to capture your family and some of your associates. Luckily, the force got involved before my grandfather could send the order."

"So, you would kill me if I was an 'Other'?" Rukia asked him.

"I'm told to capture you and only kill if you try to use magic to attack me." Ashido then smiled, "Luckily you're not an Other and I don't need to worry about that, right?" He meant it as a tease but Rukia stepped closer and looked up at him.

Distance wise, Ashido and Rukia have never been this close and Kano suppressed the heat wanting to rise into his cheeks. She whispered a small sentence and a cold mist came from her lips. Ashido was at first amused as her antic of casting a 'spell' but that bubbling laughter inside of him stopped and he stood in shock as the dew on the leaves and gazebo lit up.

The droplets of water reflected light that was coming from nowhere and sparkled under the night. It shined brightly and it took his breath away, even more when he glanced back at Rukia. The twinkling lights were like diamonds and in the pale glow Rukia's eyes were soft deep shade of blue.

It was then he suddenly grasped what just happened.

He looked back up and then back at Rukia. He slowly stepped back, "Ashido, I am a nymph and I learned the ways to become a witch." She said to him, "I am an Other and I just used magic: Are you going to kill me now?"

Ashido quickly lifted his gun again, pointing it at her and stared into her eyes–one of the main assets that made him fall for her–and he squeezed the trigger.

Rukia gasped and looked surprised at him. Ashido laughed at her as the gun spurted out confetti and a flag that read 'bang!'. He held the gun with one finger through the loop and grinned at her. "Rukia, I promised to protect you and even if you are a witch, an Other, I am still going to protect you. You're my first love after all."

"I do not need your protection."

"Not asking if you want it; I'm going to talk with my grandfather and tell him your family is innocent in the D.C attack."

"Why?"

"Because someone with the name of Shinji told me about the hollows and what's happening to you," Ashido took a step towards Rukia and touched her cheek, "I'm going to protect you." Rukia raised an eyebrow at the hand but decided not to say anything. After all, one wrong statement and she might be in his jail room under the absolute non-existent mercy of his grandfather.

From his hand, her gaze went back to him as she evaluated him. He was a handsome man, very honest and never really did anything extreme until now, they were a good match in the eyes of society. Rukia remembered her father approving Ashido's courting of her and asked her to stay in the Kano's good side until Ashido proposed. "Then why did you get me out here naked and in your dress shirt?"

"I'm taking the opportunity to think that you're mine for one night." Ashido glanced up and smiled at her spell, "You even set the mood for us. You could still marry me, Rukia; I'll give you everything you want: clothing, jewels, shoes, vacations, happiness…love. Marry me?"

"I will–"

A shot pierced the sheet of silence settled on them, catching both Ashido and Rukia off guard. The lights around them vanished; Rukia turned towards the noise and Ashido pulled out a real gun, he pointed it and waited for the person to appear, he pushed Rukia behind him.

"Son of a bitch," The voice growled and Rukia paled and pulled on Ashido's sleeve.

"Put the gun down now." She whispered vehemently, trying to leave his side but Ashido pushed her back.

"Why?"

"Because that is my–"

"Step away from my mate before I cut your motherfucking balls off, stuff them down your throat, pump you with cement and throw you in the fucking river!" Ichigo roared, his eyes glowing yellow, fangs poked out, and eyebrows so burrowed that it even shocked Rukia.

Werewolves were part beasts, she forgot that.

* * *

**Thank you for all the reviews. I'm hoping to get to 600 by chapter 30 but any amount of reviews are wonderful. :]**

**Thank you for reading and see you in two weeks. **


	31. Chapter 30

_**Chapter 30**_

_**Humming**_

_He was trying to stay calm but he kept glancing over at her, with her eyes closed and a smile on her face. The snowflakes landed in her black hair, on her lashes and relaxed eyebrows, lips, and the soft skin of her face. They were most visible in her hair, lashes, and eyebrows, laying there undisturbed. _

_He didn't know how it happened. Their day was spent with Rukia's nose in a book. Most of their conversation was one-sided and she didn't want to do anything but she unexpectedly agreed about taking a walk. _

_Not thinking much about it, he strolled into the park covered in snow, Rukia quietly behind him. Then, he was just tired and willingly laid on the snow. He plopped down; it was exceptionally smooth and soft underneath him. He was wearing his winter jacket and luckily his pants protected him from the winter's cold invasion. However his own body heat kept him extremely warm._

_Grinning as Rukia continued to stare at him, he enjoyed the rare attention she gave him. The curiosity to see her face was eating away at him as he could feel her eyes on him. The ground was cold, yes, but he didn't want to get up until Rukia told him to. _

_The sounds of her feet stepping around him were unexpected and even more when she laid right next to him. His eyes opened and turned to hers where she was staring at the sky and then at him. _

_She was lying on the cold ground like he was. _

_Dark sapphire irises twinkled with amusement, her lips smoothly went into a smile before her face turned away from him and she stared at the pale grey sky again. _

_Then her eyes fluttered closed as it began to snow and there they were. _

_On the ground in the middle of the secluded park, just the two them. Ichigo's heart was thumping and he wondered if she could hear it. Twenty-four years old and he was acting like a fifteen year old, nervously glancing back and forth from the sky to the girl that captured his heart. _

_He heard her beginning to hum; quiet and probably not meant to be heard by him. The melody was light and unwinding, floating along in the curtain of falling snow. _

_He heard her hum it before. _

_The feeling in his heart, stomach, and hearing the humming from her made Ichigo feel as if he was drifting down from the sky as well. A weightless sensation that disappeared in one instance when he felt her hand interlacing with his. He stiffened but made sure his hand connecting with hers wasn't. _

_Another glance at her and she was still the same, eyes closed and humming as she held his hand. _

_He said nothing but secured his hand more tightly with hers and closed his eyes, starting to even hum with her casually. _

_~o~o~o~o~o~_

In the early morning of Madrid, Italy, Momo was in her hotel room with Hitsugaya. She was in her spring clothing, freshly bought at the store the day before. Bright colored shirt as she wore black shorts and sandals.

Momo stared at the TV screen as a report came on for the local news followed by the world news. In the middle of the local news, the handsome man, who Momo did not understand at all, stopped to give breaking news. She shrugged her shoulders and went to read the subtitles on the bottom of the screen.

She assumed it would have to do with economical issues, war, or maybe a natural disaster but Momo dropped her fork and screamed for Hitsugaya when she saw who was on screen.

"What is it Momo!" Her fiancé stumbled in, still getting ready with his dress shirt unbuttoned and no shoes on.

"Rukia!" She screamed, "Rukia's on TV!"

"She's been on TV before." He sternly accused.

"She's been captured! The Others secret has been revealed!"

Hitsugaya blinked and rushed to the television screen, surprise evident on his face. The man who was saying this himself didn't seem convinced of what he was saying until video clips began to air.

Momo's thoughts were a scrambled mess; she wondered what happened to Rukia and her family, what they were going to do with them. Others being exposed this publicly and all at once, it was dangerous, she knew this and understood it.

Others weren't some type of race that was the same like other humans, Others were special and had powers that could easily kill a human. Others, even if most are peaceful–they would never want to harm a human unless provoked and if so, they would never use their full power–would be viewed as threats.

They were in trouble.

Momo and Hitsugaya watched the news with the only noise coming from the television; so both jumped when there was a loud knock on the door. Momo quickly hid behind Hitsugaya, nervously grabbing his dress shirt.

"No one's supposed to know we're here." Hitsugaya said.

Momo let out a cry, "What if it's them? What if they want to take us away too? Separate us? Experiment on us?"

"I'll kill them before they touch you, Momo." Hitsugaya made Momo let go of him when the knocking came once more, "Stay here, Momo."

Hitsugaya slowly went up the door, glanced back at Momo who was fidgeting, and swung the door open. He was ready to turn into a dragon; however, surprise and irritation rushed into Hitsugaya's face when he saw Aizen standing before him, panting slightly.

"Hitsugaya, I'm sorry for disturbing you and Signorina Momo's time, but have you seen what's on the television?" He asked as he took off his glasses, wiping it, "The Others–"

"We know," Hitsugaya said.

"Signor Aizen," Momo chirped happily, making her fiancé grumble a bit.

"I just wanted to make sure you two are safe, they've even captured Ukitake and Shunsui; they had tapes on them we well."

"Oh, thank you for worrying about us, Signor Aizen!" Momo sighed happily until Hitsugaya pulled at her ponytail slightly.

"We should contact Yamamoto," Aizen proposed, "He might even be calling a meeting as we speak."

"Agreed," Hitsugaya blew out fire and turned around, "Momo, we need to start packing." Momo nodded her head but stopped as she looked passed her fiancé and the charming Signor, and she paled. "Momo, what's–"

A clunk was heard and the room exploded in smoke.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ichigo's eyes fastened to the male that was all over his mate. The male who had a gun on him. The male whose stench was mixed with his mate's scent. It was fucking pissing him off and he would kill him if he did not move away in the next five seconds. "Rukia, get over here, now." He said in a gentler voice but the angry undertone was not subtle.

"No! You want me to move away and leave Rukia unprotected? To be attacked from a monster like you?" Ashido yelled at Ichigo, nostrils flaring and blood rushing. Ashido could feel Rukia behind him, she whispered something to him but he couldn't hear it.

Rukia decided she wanted to push Ashido out of the way and talk some reason to Ichigo. However, with a low wind crawling up her legs, she decided not to because of her current state of clothing. Wearing another man's clothing, at night, after a shower, and naked underneath would not calm her mate down.

If this situation was reversed, she would have been enraged and she considered herself to be very reasonable.

Yet, she needed to do something or else Ashido might get extremely hurt, or even killed.

Ichigo saw that she didn't move and Ashido's raised gun, Ichigo snarled and raised his own arm, his gun aimed and shot.

The second sound of a bullet froze the pair across of Ichigo. Rukia looked over at Ashido and felt relief that the human was still standing.

The target of the bullet was Ashido's gun which was gone from his hand and Ichigo let his beastly side emerge. He grew taller, bones snapped and rearranged themselves under his skin, fur grew and covered his body, muscles were more pronounced and his long snout molded on to his face.

Ichigo growled and howled as his clothes ripped from his body. The werewolf transformed himself in front of a shocked Ashido, who has never seen an actual werewolf transformation before, and did not move when Ichigo charged at him. The werewolf's claws were out, sharp and gleaming, and Ashido was defenseless.

Thinking fast, Rukia pushed Ashido out of the way and ran up to Ichigo. She met him during his charge, his eyes fastened to her and she saw the hurt. And she wanted him to know that there was no reason for him to be hurt, she tried to communicate those thoughts to him through her eyes.

Ichigo stopped in front of her, looming over her greatly, angrier when he saw that she was protecting the male she was with. "I choose you," She whispered to him, "Always, will I choose you."

At first, she thought she said it to get those golden eyes to liberate the hurt inside of them, but soon after she realized she said those words from the innermost warmth of her heart. Those words she didn't realize she said but came from her heart were the sweetest sounds Ichigo ever heard.

Ichigo lowered his head with sudden embarrassment. Surprised and happy at what he heard. And before he could say something or do anything, her hands reached up and settled on his head as she casted a spell of sudden sleep on him.

Ichigo could only remember the warmth of her hands on his head and in his heart as he gave in to the sleep.

Ashido's heart was racing, his whole body was sweating and his own blood was pumping in fear as his mind whirled in relief that he was still alive. He had never seen a werewolf before and Rukia was the one who protected him.

"The fuck was that?" He shouted.

"'That'?" Rukia frowned at him, "He is not a _that_, he is Ichigo Kurosaki." Rukia said from the ground where she was cradling the werewolf's head in her lap, her tiny form made the werewolf look like a colossus.

"Fine, then _who _is _he_?" He asked next.

She had the werewolf's massive head on her lap and she peered over her shoulder and gave a weary sigh, trying to find the perfect word. "This is my…"

"'Mate' would be the appropriate word, don't you think?" From the shadows came Mizuiro, amused and delighted like a bee making honey. Rukia had a frown on her face as she shook her head, she was trying to be less direct but Mizuiro seemed to have none of that.

"Nice to see you again, Kuchiki-san." The vampire said.

"Mate?" Ashido gapped, "you're that _thing's_ lover?"

"Did I just not say he is not a _thing_?" She huffed, "and yes, I am. You have a problem with that?" Her response was smooth, unnerved by him as her hand swept over Ichigo's burrowed eyebrows. "The spell will not last long; it would be wise to place him in a room with me to explain what happened."

"You need to give a good one, Kuchiki-san." Mizuiro chimed, "He was already red and seeing green the moment he heard about you two."

"I wonder by whom?" Rukia gave a swift glare to the vampire, "Ashido, I need to go back to my room, if you will still allow me to stay here." Rukia requested, not wanting to overstep her boundaries even if he did.

After all, she was still a Kuchiki.

"And if you don't," Mizuiro grinned, "You're going to have a werewolf ripping you apart."

Ashido was quiet and then nodded, "Got it, but how are we going to take him back? He's too heavy for me to carry."

"No need!" Mizuiro went and got Ichigo over his shoulder; the large creature barely made a move and covered most of the vampire's body.

"How?" Ashido bellowed.

"Oh, I'm rude! I'm Mizuiro Kojima and I'm a vampire!" Smiling and enjoying the human's shocked expression Mizuiro causally asked, "So…where's the room?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"That was a useless meeting." Kenpachi grumbled, scratching his stomach through his suit as the afternoon sun shined brightly.

"I completely agree." The woman next to him was unexpectedly Soi Fong.

Both were in Beijing, China in the government official building. There was a meeting discussing the murder of one of the Chinese government officials in Russia. The victim was in the middle of the forest, had markings that appeared to be formed from an Others, however it was discovered that the man had a heart attack while taking a walk and wolves dragged him away.

"You'd think they'll be smart enough to discover this by themselves," Kenpachi complained once more.

"I believe there has never been a moment I had not heard you complain about something or someone." In the far right, sitting at an outdoor table was Yoruichi who was smirking toward Kenpachi's direction, "Makes me remember that you're forty years-old, old man."

"Yoruichi-sama!" Soi Fong burst with happiness and a blush ensued as she stumbled over her words.

Kenpachi laughed and shook his head, feeling the sting of the insult, "Seeing you reminds me of an old cat trying to be a pu–"

"You will not speak ill of Yoruichi-sama!" Soi Fong kicked Kenpachi in the face, growling at him for his insult.

"Why you little–"

"I don't think you wish to do that, Kenpachi." Yoruichi interrupted him, "After all, we don't want such nasty words leaving your mouth with your daughter here."

No one seemed to notice the person sitting next to Yoruichi was a nervous Isane holding a bubbling pink haired child in her arms. Yachiru was awake and smiling widely when she saw her father, arms reaching out to which Kenpachi quickly captured. Yachiru was Kenpachi's life, his small daughter whose mother died during childbirth.

"Hey," Kenpachi barked at Isane who trembled, "I thought I told you to babysit Yachiru in the lobby."

"Y-yes, however Miss Yoruichi came by and told me to go with her to meet up with you two. Then, Yachiru quickly agreed, even started crying when I told her we couldn't so…I had no choice." Isane rushed to say.

"Stop picking on Isane, you brute." Yoruichi half-heartedly smacked his arm, "As you heard, it's all my fault."

"You're testing my last nervous, cat."

Kenpachi's knees buckled from the force of Soi Fong's kick, "What did I just say about insulting Yoruichi-sama!"

They argued even more while Isane, taking care of Yachiru again, watched and waited. In the midst of their dispute, Isane heard the radio in the background and paid attention to it. They were speaking about the Others, she realized.

She turned to tell the rest but saw that they as well became silent and were listening. The whole street stopped. The people walking by stood, the delivery boys stalled, cooks turned off their stoves, and so on as they all listened to the radio.

Isane could barely understand what was saying but she did understand: "Supernatural creatures are amongst us."

The broadcasting ended and life slowly began again and people moved on.

Isane looked at the Others in front of her, about to ask when men filed around them. Soi Fong was the first to react, "What's the meaning of this!" She shouted.

The men said nothing but arrested them all, even little Yachiru which inflamed Kenpachi's fury. They had to knock him out. Isane felt everyone's eyes on them and looked up at Yoruichi's solemn face.

Their thoughts rang the same, "_What's going on?_"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"What does this do?" The Romanian representative asked, holding a cylinder as he strolled through the lab. Beakers, test tubes, wires, and more scientific items scattered through the large room. Looming machines, bright lights, sapping electrical sounds, and many tables with cloth covered things laid about.

Mayuri glanced over and with a grumble he answered, "Oh that? It's just a paralyzing potion, with how much power it has; I calculated it can take down Yamamoto."

"Really? Why don't you sound impressed?"

"Because I can do better!" Mayuri growled.

In the whole council, Mayuri was the only one who was actually a human; it took many years for him to be considered as a worthy enough representative. Many years of ridicule and mockery, and he had proven them all wrong when he invented a serum that could undo a vampire transformation!

A lone human being whose mentor was an Others, and he craved to be one too. A supernatural being but all he had was his science and the potions that were taught to him. He gained even more recognition when he created his daughter, Nemu, out of body parts and had her working and thinking like a full human being. However, he was forbidden to create something immoral like daughter again.

His daughter was his success that landed him in the Others council.

Gin placed the cylinder down, nodding as he did, "What about this?" He asked, picking another container up.

Mayuri stopped his work and turned around, "Tell me, why have you come to Germany? I know it wasn't for a friendly visit."

"So cruel, Mayuri!" Gin grinned, "I had business here and I remembered you live close to Berlin; so, I decided to visit. Your experiments always…fascinated me."

"Ah, curiosity, the enemy of reason and logic." Mayuri nodded in understanding at his fellow council member before going back to work. "What you have in your hand is a lethal liquid, a potion, that could take down any Others in a heartbeat. Literally, throw it at an enemy and their heart stops beating because the potion melts every heart cell in the body. It's a one of a kind, not meant to be duplicated."

"Hm, interesting," Gin nodded his head, "Why's that?"

"Why it's one of a kind?" Mayuri took a heated needle and started to press* things together in his newest invention, "The most dangerous creations of mine I only keep one original copy. I like to prove to myself I can make such disastrous things; however, I do not want it to get into the wrong hands.

"I am a 'mad scientist' but not an immoral one…or at least I consider myself not to be one." Mayuri started to laugh loudly.

"What is that you're working on?"

"Oh this?" Mayuri smiled widely, proudly showcasing his new invention. It was a bundle of red wires, firm as they all interlaced to make a shapely glove. "This is a device that is able to reach inside someone's soul, it has been a dream of mine to explode inside the souls," Gin watched the scientist and saw the crazed look in Mayuri's eyes. "There are many undiscovered facts about it and to be one of the first to actually discover something, it's exciting! I just finished this, and I need to test it out but I'm confident that it works perfectly! I call it…God's Glove."

There was a knock on the door and both men faced the large metal frames, "What? What is it!" Mayuri yelled, annoyed that he was interrupted.

A small, smooth voice entered the room, "Father, something has happened."

"What? What happened?"

"On the internet, father."

"Internet?" Grumbled Mayuri as a large screen unrolled against the west wall and a projector screen slowly descended from the ceiling. The scientist went to his computer that was normal use to keep track of potions, information, molecules, and all. He opened his front page and the headlines spoke clearer to them: Fairytale Creatures are not in your Books.

He blinked and looked over at Gin who was shocked as well; he opened the article and read it carefully. "Mother of God…" Mayuri said.

"Father," the voice of his daughter carried through.

Mayuri, annoyed, turned around and looked at his creation, "What!"

His annoyance quickly faded as he saw the state of his daughter. Her right arm was gone, bleeding profoundly from her stomach and more red liquid left her mouth, "I am hurt."

Then, a shot blasted through the lab, hitting Nemu from right in the back of her head, killing her. Mayuri caught his daughter and another shot was heard, this time Gin fell to the floor, clutching his bleeding arm as he looked up.

From the entrance of the lab stood two Espada, and Mayuri then felt something pour on top of him, and his insides started to burn. A beaker fell on the ground empty, and Mayuri laughed at the irony that it was his invention that killed him.

Fuck…his heart was melting.

Standing in front of him was a pink haired man, and Mayuri barked out a laugh, "Death is still one…unknown domain I wished to–"

The pink haired Espada stabbed the scientist in the head and said in his own stretched grin, "Don't give a shit, sorry."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"It has been a long time since we spent time like this." Komamura chuckled and took another swing of his beer, "It feels good."

Tōsen, even if he cannot see the scenery, still can imagine what the beach they were at looked like. The sea air was light; he could feel the warmth of the sun on him through the shade of what he was guessing were palm trees, the clear smooth sand between his feet as tides went and left the shore.

Komamura was right, it did feel good.

"We should take more vacations," joked Tōsen.

Komamura laughed more profoundly, "If we did then our countries will be in chaos with all of these Others!"

"Indeed, old friend."

More beers popped open and the two friends indulged in the bitter drink with a lime wedge of course. They spent the rest of the afternoon like that, reminiscing over their old days. When the sun was about to set, Komamura pondered, "What's going to become of us when we reveal ourselves? Then, the situation with the Kuchiki."

Tōsen stopped drinking, "Who knows…the world is filled with uncertainties, the good and bad are intertwined with one another. With the right timing, the future could be bright. Anyways, we shouldn't think of the future, it always comes too fast."

"Isn't that true?"

Long torches lit up, the fire ablaze around them as the sun finally set. The night became colder but not so much, it felt like a delightful seventy degrees. Then one of Komamura's workers ran up to the representatives, speaking in Spanish of the incident that just happened. The words were rushed and staggered as the young man took deep breathes.

Tōsen waited for the boy to leave before asking what was happening and when he heard everything he almost dropped his beer. "The Others were revealed from an unknown source. The Kuchiki were captured, we should get on the phone with Yamamoto."

Tōsen gripped his beer bottle tightly, "See old friend," he said, "we shouldn't think about the future, it always comes quicker than needed."

* * *

_**It's not much, I know but please review and keep supporting me! The end...is almost near. :v**_

Review and see you in two weeks! 


	32. Chapter 31

_**Chapter 31**_

_**Falling**_

"_You started humming more often, Hun. Are you falling?" Rangiku teased._

_Was she? _

_Rukia has noticed she was humming more often; she was just in a more upbeat mood. She now would find a smile on her face and it has become a normal image for her. Standing outside in the winter cold, she observed one orange haired werewolf who plopped down on the snow. _

_He must be the reason for her sudden happy mood. She tried so hard to ignore him, dismiss him, try to find extreme faults in him and even if she did all that she couldn't overlook him. He wouldn't leave when she told him to. Then, all of his faults were, in a sort, charming to her. _

_She, surprisingly, enjoyed his company more than she wanted to admit. _

_He lay there, relaxed as if he was taking a nap in the summer sun and not in the winter grey skies. It was ridiculous, the image of him on the white ground, his hair standing out too brightly. She had to suppress the chuckles that wanted to escape from her. Even in winter his skin was still tan, the stern lines of his face relaxed. Her eyes drifted to his lips and the blood rose to her cheeks as she wondered how it would feel to kiss him. _

_To think, earlier she was intensely reading the white hardback book she had acquired, feeling Ichigo's eyes on her. However, she wasn't actually reading it; she was simply staring at the words and hoped they would transfer into her mind. _

_He would talk to her, hoping for her to talk back and she ignored him most of the time. He mentioned going out for a walk and she suddenly found that appealing. The agreement surprised him but he seemed pleased that she approved of _something_. _

_She followed him quietly into the park and that was when he dropped to the ground and lay there. Her hands moved to her hips as she watched, waiting for him to stand up but he didn't. He was grinning and she wanted to grin as well. She walked around him and lay down gracefully next to him. _

_She turned her head towards him, his surprised expression made her smile. She looked back at the grey winter skies and closed her eyes. Rukia knew she was humming and she didn't care, in fact she didn't mind it at all. _

_She could feel his gaze on her ever so often; she could feel the snowflakes landing on her. She was nervous and unwilling to comply with the happiness but it took over her. Now, on the snow covered ground lying next to Ichigo, she accepted she was falling. _

_When she realized this, her hand went and took a hold of his, interlacing and she felt warmth bloom in her when he didn't move away. She was falling and the speed increased when he tighten his hold on her hand and began to hum with her. _

_This falling…it wasn't too bad she supposed. _

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ichigo was in the state between awake and asleep, where his dreams and nightmares could become reality. He was trying to wake up, he wanted to and he tried to. His eyes however would not pry open but he was slowly, almost naturally, gaining back consciousness. His eyes moved beneath his eye lids, he felt his body was on a bed and from the size of it he wondered if it was a twin size since his arms and legs hung over the edge.

He breathed in the air and so far he caught her scent and another man's. Suddenly, he remembered what happened: Rukia's suitor protecting her from him, Rukia wearing another man's clothing, close to said man while he proposed to her and they were under an oh-so romantic tree that was lit up.

God, it hurt and he felt so angry; he really wanted to kill the son of a bitch. His own beast from within got loose and went for attack, it would have ended the man's life if it wasn't for Rukia; Rukia who protected the other man from his fury.

"_God Fucking damnit it,_" Ichigo thought, "_Was she…_?" The werewolf wanted to ask but he couldn't finish the thought. They were apart for almost two months, sure they called each other every day but Rukia had a life here in D.C. Here laid her responsibility, responsibility that included marriage to strengthen businesses tributes with _that _man.

God, his insecurity was getting the better of him. But Rukia's time in Japan with him might as well have been a world of pure fantasy, castles in the sky. A holiday world which everything was just a dream for her and him; this was her reality, wasn't it?

More sense came back to Ichigo; rushed whispers between two people: a male and a female. Then, there was a door being gently shut and Ichigo's nerves awoke and he quickly shot up looking around. Ichigo's eyes fastened on Rukia's face the moment he caught her scent, "_Rukia…_" He breathed out and all his anger he felt seemed to vanish.

"Ichigo," She said slowly, smiling at him now that he was awake, "How are you feeling?"

"_Groggy, I haven't slept since last night…Japan time_."

"I can fix that…" she gave a quick smile, "I just need some apples, water, a violet, and a white candle."

"_Really?_" He said doubtingly at her and barked a laugh, "_Every time you put a damn spell on me, it's to stop me or hurt me_."

"Only physically, you know and it is never _that_ bad."

He didn't know why, but that made him grin at her; but then, he looked around absently at first, trying to get his surroundings. Then, he looked back at her, noticed her, and snarled, "_What are you wearing!_" He finally stood and become aware of how he was much higher than he was used to as he looked down at her.

Ah, he was still in his were form, no wonder the bed felt small underneath him.

Rukia stared right back at him, "A shirt?" She offered with a guilty grin.

"_Yeah, a male's shirt that isn't mine? Take it off,_" Ichigo said sternly.

Rukia crossed her arms and sighed, "I am not because I am naked underneath this."

"_Why are you naked….what did he do to you! Did he hurt you!_" The thoughts that crossed him were that she was taken advantage of, however, that thought quickly vanished from his mind. Rukia was strong enough to defeat a human, hell she defeated espadas. No, he couldn't help but worry that she voluntary slept with him, but then he remembered she told him, she choose him.

Oh, there were those butterflies in his stomach again.

The paleness from his jealousy that clouded his judgment faded before Rukia spoke up, "Because he surprised me by going into my room, taking me out from the shower and not letting me put on any other type of clothing at gun point!"

That was when the butterflies left to make room for the raging fire of hatred, "_He threatened you!_"

"Yes, however that is not important!"

"_How isn't it important? He could have actually _killed_ you, Rukia!_"

"He would not because he is in love with me and would never hurt me!"

Ichigo's angry heaves of breath was the only sound in the room as silence settled between them. "_He loves you_?" Ichigo said, "_I…don't know how to react_." He admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"_I want to punch him in the face and, at the same time, I'm relieved that I don't need to worry about him hurting you…but, I do worry about him making a move on you_."

"If he does, it would not matter; after all, having you here is very comforting…I have not felt this relaxed since coming back from Japan." Rukia looked away, embarrassed, "And you do not need to be worry, did I not say I will always choose you?"

Ichigo blushed as well–or would have if it wasn't for the fur–and rubbed the back of his head. He felt happy and his heart was pumping quickly but now for another reason. It was rare when Rukia actually said these types of things, which was why it was an embarrassing and exciting emotion that rushed through him.

"_So…there was nothing between the two of you?_"

"Of course not," Rukia huffed and gave him a small glare, "Is that what you are worried about?"

Ichigo blushed further more and decided to stay in his were form, it felt safer. "_Isn't he your suitor? And he proposed and you said 'I will'–_"

"Bang!" Ichigo blinked at her in surprised, "Oh, I am very sorry. Did my mimicking the sound of a gun interrupt you?" Rukia shook her head and gave a smile as he realized that was what he did, "I was going to say 'I will _not_ marry you.'"

"_Not lovers?_"

"No."

"_So, he just took you out of the bathroom naked?_"

"Yes." Rukia stressed out to him, "Understand now?"

"_Oh, I understand. The fucker threatened my mate, saw you naked and humiliated you, made me misunderstand and doubt you, and got you wearing his fucking clothes as if you belonged to him!_" Ichigo moved towards the door, already getting his foot ready to kick it down, "_Where the fuck is he?_"

"Language!" Rukia scolded as she stepped in front of his path, "And you will not dare cause a scene."

"_How can you be relaxed about this?_ _How can I not cause a scene when he's disrespecting you? Acting as if you're his…and take off his fucking shirt!_"

"Ichigo, how many times do I need to–Ichigo!" The werewolf grabbed his mate by her waist and carried her under his arm as he walked to the bathroom. "What are you doing?" She was swinging her legs to try and get some balance and frowned, "This is not a proper way to carry a lady."

"_We're going to take a shower_," Ichigo said as he turned the shower on, place her in it and began to unbutton the shirt she had on after he changed back to a human.

Rukia sighed but there was a smile on her face as she shoved her hair away from her eyes. Ichigo's pants fell down his legs but he had to take his boxer shorts off. Rukia was already wet from the water coming from the shower head and barely had time to realize that Ichigo changed back until she felt his skin on hers.

Her own hands were on his chest, leaning up to kiss him. He pulled away, a scowl on his face. "His stench," Ichigo said, "It's all over you; I can't stand it!"

She wanted to argue with him, that it wasn't such a big deal but she then remembered having another male's scent on her was the equivalent of seeing your husband coming home covered in lipstick that belonged to another woman.

"Then wash me," she offered, only half serious when she said it.

Then Ichigo gave her another kiss before he grabbed her again with his hands covered in soapy foam and the other held the bar of soap. He already had her waist covered in the cleansing product. She unwillingly stayed so that he could finish.

It was embarrassing for her to stand and have him wash her, his hands touching every inch of skin. Fingers trace across her hips, chest, and neck, burning her in an ecstasy of sensation. However, she missed this and him as well. His childish antics, the support he gives her, his confidence, the sense of reliance that settled on her whenever he was around her.

Somehow, he has the ability to relax her.

Then, she also missed his touch upon her skin, his lips pressed against hers and sleeping together–even if he had the habit of taking off their clothing while they slept. The intimacy between the two that made them crave one another, and the attention they were both willing to present to one another. It wasn't just feeling good but making sure the other felt good as well and enjoying the intimacy.

She missed it all.

From her feet up to her neck; his hands rubbing between her thighs, ever so close to her heated flesh but he does not touch her at all there. He focused on her chest, grabbing and massaging her beasts before he swept his hands up and down her backside. Grabbing the generous amount of her ass and pressed himself close to her.

He was already erected; his member would tap Rukia's stomach periodically and was begging for attention that would have to wait. Ichigo then had Rukia rinsed off and then worked on her hair. He was determined to have that man's stench off his mate; so, if that means he would have to massage the shampoo through her hair until she was bald, he would.

She did not mind, she actually enjoyed the feeling of it. She rained pepper kisses on him whenever his skin was near her mouth.

Ichigo had a small frown as he thought about tonight.

If Rukia wanted male friends, he was fine with it. Friends were friends no matter what gender they were; however when a male friend stated that he wanted to be more, that was when Ichigo had issues.

No matter how much confidence he had or pretended to be, Ichigo still was insecure. Rukia could do better; he knew that, just because they were fated to be with one another does not mean she couldn't leave him for someone better. Yet, even if he knew she could do better, leave him, Ichigo still didn't want her to.

He was a jealous man.

Jealousy was not a bad trait; it was not a bad emotion either if one doesn't take it to an extreme possessive level. Jealousy was normal yet he felt that everyone made it seem bad, evil, a monstrous emotion to feel when the media shows the extreme cases of what jealousy led to. The average amount of jealousy one felt is normal, it wasn't bad. It was part of life and everyone felt jealousy clawing at them, did that make everyone evil?

Then, most of the time, jealousy branched off insecurity.

Ichigo was just a _beta _werewolf, raised in a normal werewolf's life style unlike Rukia's. It was his insecurity that made him a jealous mate, possessive as well and he hoped he could control those emotions. It clicked for mated werewolves but it was always difficult for werewolves whose mates were not werewolves. Rukia didn't know the standard code the werewolves live by, especially when a werewolf mate was another werewolf.

Ichigo actually held the record for length of not telling his mate that they were mated.

Rukia may not leave him for another man, he was sure of that as he kept washing her even after she complained she was clean, until her scent was nothing but her sweet aroma. He could feel her feelings for him through her welcoming touches and kisses.

Rukia could always say, 'no' and walk away from him, taking death's bittersweet hand like she planned to since the beginning. He felt the change in her: she wasn't accepting the hand anymore because she was holding onto his.

Jealousy, insecurity branched off his fear that she would let go of his hand.

~o~o~o~o~o~

An hour later, Rukia and Ichigo were both dry. The werewolf had a smug but also content grin on his face as he followed a blushing Rukia out of the bathroom. She had a towel on while he strode out fully naked, not caring who would see him; but fortunately the room was empty and there were clothing for the pair.

He passed by a mirror and noticed a marking on his neck and gave a short chuckle, "Hey, you gave me a love bite."

Rukia paused from reaching for her shirt and repeated the words, "'Love mark?' I did no such thing."

"Really?"

"Of course."

Ichigo strolled up to her, "Then what's this?"

Rukia looked over her shoulder quickly, shocked when she saw the love bite and soon was red. "Ichigo! Who gave you that love bite!" She tried to play off but Ichigo grabbing her around the waist grinned into her hair.

"I believe it was a nymph, they're mischievous Others."

"Then, I believe the nymph has fallen for you…tragic."

"How is that tragic?"

"Oh, look clothing. I believe I am going to change now."

"Rukia…" She turned around, the stubborn blush, lighter now, was still there. He grabbed a lock of her hair, her eyes surrounded by inky, wet lashes. He bent down and kissed her, his eyes closed and felt rejuvenated when they pulled apart. "You know everything is yours, right?"

"I know," she whispered to him and he smiled down at her, "It is disgusting, you know."

"What is?"

"How positively radiant you are."

Smirking at her, Ichigo went and embraced her from behind, "I'm not the only one glowing. Come on, let's get dressed," He ushered.

Ichigo's backpack was on the bed, Rukia was given a brand new pair of pants, shirt, slips-on along with her freshly washed undergarments. They both dressed–except for Ichigo who decided not to put on a shirt–and Ichigo was slightly upset that her clothing was bought using _that _man's money. He offered her his own clothing; she shook her head and shoved him away.

"I will change my clothes once I am allowed to go back home." She said and finished dressing. Ichigo was already heading towards the door, "Wait." Rukia went and grabbed his arm, "You are not going to do anything unnecessary, right?"

Ichigo jolted a bit and peered over his shoulder down at her, he gave a tight smile. He was an awful liar; his thoughts might as well be written on his face. "Never! I just wanted to go and see the man that I'm going to…help put to sleep."

"You will not harm him!" She shouted at him.

"I'm not! He isn't going to feel it when I kill him! It'll be quick!"

"No, Ichigo!"

"I was joking, I just want to scare him bad enough he'll shit himself."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"I do not want you to go to jail for something so mediocre."

"Damnit, then what I'm supposed to do with all this anger!"

"I do not care but you will not cause him any serious injuries."

"Why do you care for him so much, Rukia?"

"Again with _this_?"

"Yeah!" Ichigo puffed out.

"Do you not remember what happened a few minutes again?"

"Yes, but I'm willing to be reminded." He gave her a smirk as she glared at him and began to yell at him. After a couple minutes passed, Rukia crossed her arm and gave him a look that made him agreed to her terms, "I won't kill him or do anything stupid."

"And?"

Ichigo scowled and looked to the side, "And if I do, then I can't touch you in any way or form for an entire week–does it have to be a week? How about ten minutes?"

"Week," She restated, "Now, let us go."

Grumbling, Ichigo went out the door and led them to the main foyer room where Ashido and Mizuiro were talking. Hearing them enter, Ashido quickly got up and looked apprehensively at Rukia. His calm eyes connected with hers and he asked if she was alright.

Rukia couldn't answer because Ichigo already punched the Kano's sole heir in the face. Mizuiro and Rukia were shocked, Ichigo pleased and Ashido nursed his broken nose and aching eye. Ichigo wasn't done and grabbed the human from the collar of the shirt and pulled him up, "Pull a stunt like that with _my mate _again, or even any women; shit will go down."

The werewolf then dropped the human; luckily Ashido wasn't hit too hard and landed on his feet perfectly fine for a man who just got hit. Rukia sighed and ignored Ichigo hitting Ashido; she actually wanted to hit him as well. "_Who wouldn't_?" He took her out of her bath, made her wear a flimsy dress shirt, and made her go outside where she had to talk to him as if she wasn't conscious of her state of dress.

She just wished it was her who hit him.

"I deserve that." Ashido said as he asked for a maid to get him a first aid, "Anything else?" He asked Ichigo. The tension was thick between the two and Ichigo opened his mouth to vehement his thoughts but Rukia stopped him with kicking the back of his knee.

"Ignore him," Rukia finally said, "He has territorial issues."

"Ah, yes. You're friend, Mizuiro, was telling me all about it. Never knew you were going to be 'mated' to a beast." Ashido said, "Thought you always end up with a more sophisticated man, like me of course."

Ichigo growled at him but Ashido was unfazed, the werewolf would have hit the human again if it wasn't for Rukia who touched his arm. "Life is filled with unexpected incidents." She smiled at him, hiding her annoyance very well.

"Indeed," Ashido said. The maid scurried back inside the room with first aid and began to help her master with his wound. Every couple of seconds the elderly woman would give Ichigo an evil eye, muttering under her breathe every foul curse words she could think of until she was done and was sent away.

Mizuiro smiled at them all, "Well, Ashido was telling me about the unveiling of the Others."

"Do you have an idea what is going to happen?" Rukia asked, as she went to sit down. Ichigo remained by her side, she frowned at him when he sat next to her and kept his eyes on Ashido.

"The world knows and it's spreading fast. While you guys were…away, the president already made a speech. He acknowledged the Others and even said he was going to meet with the leaders."

"So, the head councilor and the royals in the magic realms?" Ichigo asked; his arm rested behind Rukia's chair.

"Yes."

"What about my father? Ishida and Renji?" Rukia asked.

"I just got a call saying they were to be released," Ashido nursed his nose and leaned back on his own chair. "Word is that there are already people rioting, mostly in the religious communities and countries. There are people also coming out as Others, people who know and married Others; if we do not plan this carefully the world might become a war ground. The sides will not be clear either."

"What's going to happen, then?" Mizuiro asked.

"Not too sure, like I said, it's unclear however we have to plan this out carefully. If more Others come out they need to be important figures: movie famous, political famous, royal famous it does not matter but it needs to happen."

"What about the Kuchiki?" Ichigo asked, "Will it be dangerous for Rukia to walk about in D.C?"

"Of course," Ashido answer smoothly, "Even if Rukia and her father weren't stated as Others, almost everyone now confirms for themselves that they are. Rukia is already known for her 'unearthly beauty' it's not going to take long for TV programs to accuse Rukia and her father for being an Others. Rukia isn't going to be _that _safe here, it would be better if she left D.C."

Rukia sighed, "I am moving every two seconds; it is starting to get on my nerves."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Later that evening_

"Kurosaki, get away from my daughter and put on a shirt." Byakuya said coolly before looking at Rukia who was the one to walk away from Ichigo, "Are you alright?" His tone was much smoother now, concerned as he saw the bags under her eyes. Jail was no place for his daughter and the thought that _she _was even taken in infuriated him.

"I am fine. I hope you are well, too, father."

"I'm fine," Byakuya said and looked over to Ashido, "thank you for getting my daughter out of jail."

"You should be thanking me for–ouch!" Ichigo cried out as Rukia smiled at Ichigo who was nursing his stomach.

"Go and put on a shirt, Ichigo." Rukia said. The werewolf grumbled and left to do as he was told. Making a gesture towards Ashido before he left, stating that he was watching him, Rukia saw the gesture but decided not to say anything. "What are we going to do, father?"

Byakuya looked over at his daughter and rubbed his temple, "I recently heard that Others representatives were captured by the government: Hitsugaya, Miss Momo, and Aizen have been captured in Italy while Kenpachi, Yoruichi, Isane, and Soi Fong in China. I have not heard anything else.

"I do not know what is happening with them. As for us, we are going to Japan for another meeting, I will return to D.C and fix this mess but you're going to stay in Japan with the mutt. It'll be safer for you to be with him and his pack. Ishida and Renji will stay with you as well to keep an eye on you."

"How bad do you think it is, Mr. Kuchiki?" Ashido asked.

"If not handled carefully, it could become a disaster. However, that is not the issue I wish to discuss with you. I instead want to inform you that I know the Kanos are hunters of the Others, or protectors as your family preferred to say, Ashido. I also know that you are a good man, and I trust that you will spread the fact that like humans, the Others have our good and our bad."

Byakuya stepped towards Ashido, "However, if I hear any innocent Others being killed for no reason, I hope you know that your family and associates will be first on my list." Ichigo arrived with a shirt on and his backpack in his hand as he heard Byakuya speak to Ashido.

The wizard saw Ichigo there and told the werewolf to take Rukia and Ichigo's vampire friend to wait in the car. All three left, Mizuiro slightly pale at seeing Rukia's father but still was able to poke fun at Ichigo.

Once they left, Byakuya gave a gold glare at Ashido, "The Kano have great influence on other human families; and as you can see, we are the same but _we_ happen to have more _gifts_ than average humans. Tell me, Ashido, have your thoughts about my daughter and I changed?"

Ashido stood there and blinked before he shook his head, "My thoughts were formed because of who you are, not what you are. I still respect you, Mr. Kuchiki and I still love your daughter."

"Then please, use these feelings to protect my daughter." The wizard then turned and left but was surprised as Rukia walked in.

"I forgot something."

"Be quick," Byakuya left the room, glancing over at Ichigo who was at the door, scowling as he waited.

"What did you forget, Rukia?"

"Nothing, I actually want to ask you something."

Ashido smiled proudly and nod, "Ask away." Confident that whatever she would ask would be something favorable and he could easily answer.

"Do…you have any important meetings tomorrow?"

Ashido stopped and pondered, not at all thinking why she was interest about his schedule and answered, "I do, I have a full day of important meetings, I even have one with your father at ten."

"At night?"

"At night," He confirmed.

"Can you reschedule them?"

"More than half of them I can't–Rukia."

"Wonderful," Rukia gave a smile at him, sweet and innocent, "I am going to place a curse on you that will turn you into a toad."

Ashido looked at her blankly, "What?"

"I will tell my father to change you back," Rukia turned and walked away, smirking as she pulled out her wand and gave a curt swing, a curse was given. Ashido, in a cloud of smoke, shrunk and croaked. "Next time, do not mess with a nymph."

Ichigo barked a laugh as he followed her out the door.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Father, I turn Ashido to a toad. Please turn him back when you see him tomorrow."

Byakuya raised an eyebrow at his daughter and nod, "Will do."

"Now," Ichigo began when the wizard finally got inside the car, "What are we going to do, Byakuya?"

The old wizard was still displeased with Ichigo calling him by his first name but said nothing of it. "The government has already known about us for more than fifty years, we have been trying to deal with them as to how to make our presence aware. The Others do not worry about the government but the people. This is how the Council of Others has more power, the countries we each come from; continents as well, acknowledge we exist. It's the people that have a hard time accepting us. However, this is business of the councils and not yours, brat." Byakuya said, "Your job is to protect my daughter at all cost."

"I said this before, 'you don't need to tell me this.'" Ichigo stated as he looked over at Rukia who was sitting next to her father, "I'll always protect her."

"When will we be leaving to Japan?" Rukia asked.

"We shall be leaving tomorrow night, I have some messes to clean up." Byakuya answered.

"So…I'll be staying with you two?" Ichigo asked nonchalantly.

"Sadly, yes. However, you will be on the east wing of our home and if I so dare hear you go in the west wing where Rukia and I are at; I'll have you sleeping outside like the dog you are." Byakuya warned him to which Ichigo grumbled but accepted.

Rukia stayed silent and said nothing but she had a smile on her face.

The drive wasn't too long; they dropped off Mizuiro who declined the room in the Kuchiki's household. He had his own business to attend to he admitted. Then, before Rukia realized what was happening, she was stepping out the car door with the help of her father.

Ichigo climbed out and whistled when he saw the Kuchiki household and suddenly became self-conscious of the apartment he recently purchased back home. He forgot Rukia was born into wealth and beauty, a life of glamour and not a life of simplicity like he was. Rukia noticed his frown but shook her head; he needed to learn sooner or later that wealth meant nothing to her.

They entered the home, the high ceiling and crusted molding on the doorways and on the ceiling were beautiful. A butler was at the door; he bowed and welcomed both Byakuya and Rukia, smiling at Rukia before looking at Ichigo.

The butler's smile became a frown, "And who is this?" The butler asked in his stoic voice.

"Now, Kensei, no need to be hostile," Rukia chimed, "This is Ichigo Kurosaki, he will be staying with us for tonight."

Kensei Muguruma was the young butler at the Kuchiki home; he was a tall, muscular man with sharp features, short light-gray hair and brown eyes. He was in a suit even this late at night, a man dedicated to his work.

"Please, lead Kurosaki to the blue room. That is where he will be staying." Byakuya said, "Will you be going to bed, Rukia?"

"No, I am a little hungry so I am going to see if Hachigen is up."

"Miss Rukia, Hachigen is up, he's waiting in the kitchen with your favorite meal." Kensei said before turning to Ichigo again, "Follow me, dog."

"What! You can't just say that to me!" Ichigo turned towards father and daughter, expecting them to say something but Rukia was already gone and Byakuya said nothing and left. "He hates me."

"He's not the only one," Kensei agreed, "Let's go; I don't have any more time to waste on you." Kensei led Ichigo up the massive stairs, down the dark forest green hall until they stopped in front of the room where Ichigo was going to stay. Kensei opened the door and moved out of the way for Ichigo to enter.

The room, like the house, was massive and very extravagant. Nicer than the hotel suites at the _Supra Natural_ and Ichigo didn't know how to feel: should he be jealous or impressed?

The bed was a queen and had white sheets on them. There was a fire place and a table for two near it. There was an ample dresser and desk on one side of the room; large windows behind them, and a door that was open and led to the bathroom.

Ichigo placed his backpack on the bed and nodded his head, "Would it be okay for me to go to the kitchen and grab…something to…hello?" Ichigo stared at the open door where no one stood and wondered when the butler left. "I'll take that as a 'yes', then."

Ichigo left and went to the kitchen, he just needed to follow his mate's scent but then he stopped and looked behind him once more, "_That man had no scent on him_." He should be worried; he was going to ask Rukia before he does something that may lead him sleeping outside. In the kitchen was a plump man with short pink hair, the man stopped and looked down.

Ichigo stood there, feeling awkward that he was being ignored. However, the chef looked up and gave Ichigo a plate, "Miss Rukia is outside, thank you for always helping her." The Chef said as he began to clean pots and dishes.

Ichigo nodded dumbly and went outside, it wasn't as dark thanks to the lights that decorated the green backyard. Rukia was sitting next to a koi pond, eating her meal and looked up at him. She changed her clothing already, her eyes focused on him and she smiled at him.

"I thought you would be asleep by now."

"Jetlag," he answered as he sat next to her. He looked down at the plate that was given to him, "Rice dumplings…are your favorite meal?"

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?" Rukia turned her back to him and leaned her back against his shoulder. She just finished her last rice dumpling and licked her thumb.

She looked up at him and Ichigo chuckled as shook his head, "No," he took a bite, "It's very good." The night was cool, wind gentle and blowing softly, almost as if it was telling them hushed secrets. "Rukia?" She moved her head towards him, a movement that said she was listening, "Kensei and your chef, are they Others?"

"You could say that…they are alchemists, the both of them are. I recently found this out when I came back from Japan," She ended in a yawn.

"Tired?"

"A little."

"Why not go to sleep?"

"Because I feel like something bad is going to happen if I do." Rukia did not fear death, what she feared was the death of those around her. She wasn't sure why, but there was something in her that was telling her something was wrong.

"If something does happen at least you're not alone." Ichigo slowly stood up, bring her with him, "Come on, let's get you inside."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia, in fresh pajamas, left her bathroom and entered her bedroom, smiling at the sleeping Kon. Kensei was taking care of it for her when the house was overrun with officers. She stood and watched her bed, watching the sleeping cub roll around in the sheets, content to be back with Rukia.

Relief filled her when she heard Kensei got Kon before those agents could, she feared if captured they would have experimented on her pet cub. Rukia strolled up to her bed and petted Kon on the head before turning her gaze to the window. She headed to the balcony wanting some fresh air before she went to bed.

Everything was becoming more complicated than it needed to be and she wondered if there was any way she could change this. A simple life was something she always craved. To wake up in the morning and know she had nothing to do for that day, for that one day. Instead, there was also something she needed to see and attend to.

There was never a time.

A crack echoed. Rukia focused her eyes and before she reached the balcony, cracks were forming. "What?"

"_Nee-san_!" Kon cried out suddenly, awaken from what was happening. The lion cub jumped from the bed and sprinted to Rukia, standing in front of her, guarding her as all the windows in her room shattered with a boom and floated around Rukia in a frozen prison.

Panicking and feeling Kon backing into her feet, Rukia scooped the cub into her arms as darkness seeped in; her walls were decaying as paint flaked and wood shivered and aged. "_Nee-san…what's happening_?"

"I do not know," she whispered.

* * *

...happy leap day! :D

Anyways, here is the new chapter, please review! Things are getting more...interesting I believe.

Review, review, and review!

I also want to thank everyone that reviewed the last chapter, I know it wasn't as exciting but...I felt it was needed.

See you in two weeks. 3


	33. Chapter 32

**Sorry for the late update; a lot of things been happening to me from home life to school life. :v **

**I having many doubts at the moment about this fic, I do have ideas for it (I don't have a writer block, don't worry about that) but...I don't really know. **

**Anyways, please enjoy this chapter and thank you _chuela7795 _for reminding me to update. This one is for you. **

* * *

_**Chapter 32**_

_**Language**_

Many may not realize this but language is alive. It flourishes and thrives and gives grand gestures and sometimes it dies.

A word, any word means many things…represent many things.

This is why it becomes so hard to tell you what I am saying or how I want you to understand what I am saying.

I cannot say, "I love you" because it does not truly describe my strong emotions for you, it does not hold the strong feelings that beat in my heart every time you look over at me and smile.

I am not an angel. I am a jealousy man. I am an imperfect man. I make mistakes.

I am not a beast. I am a courageous man. I am a loving man. I make mistakes.

We make mistakes.

Like language that flourishes and thrives and gives grand gestures and sometimes dies so do feelings.

But my feelings for you won't die; it will forever flourish and thrive as long as time exists.

I know I hurt you. I know I cause you inner distress. I changed your life like you did for me. I make you question your duties and make you pick between me and those duties.

And here I am, selfishly asking you to pick me.

Please pick me.

I am not good. I've killed men before. I've killed women before. I've kill a child before. It all haunts me even now, years later.

I am not bad. I protected those around me. I fought for my country. I backed up my friends in war. I led a group to victory.

I am overprotective. I am corrupted. I tried to dominate you. Like those whom oppressed you when you were younger, I tried to as well. I tried to tie you down with me because I was a coward and tried to find a way to achieve happiness in this time of hopelessness

Does that make me a monster?

I am sorry.

I am a listener. I am a being in this world. I tried to save you. The moment I saw you, I already messed things up but I knew you and I belong together. I want to make you smile everyday and you couldn't with those discouraging thoughts. I gave you hope and it was a bittersweet moment of realization for you when you told me you wanted to live. You wanted to fight to live.

Does that make me a saint?

I am sorry.

With reading this, can you understand me? Do you get the strength I am trying to write out from within me?

My language…can you understand it? The conflict and misunderstanding and sadness I encounter. The harmony and comprehension and contentment I wish to have constant.

I am neither good.

I am neither bad.

I don't know what I am, the divisions of good and bad has become so unclear that I wonder if anyone knows.

I wonder what happened to those days when word wasn't alive. The days when I said something and it meant exactly as I said, and only that. When there weren't any puns, any symbolisms, any metaphors or personifications.

What I said is what it is.

But, I am merely a man and with that fact, there are many interpretations you are getting from the words I am saying.

Which is why I find it difficult to tell you that I love you, Kuchiki Rukia.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Rukia!" Her father yelled, she heard his footsteps racing to her room. The ceiling snapped and fell at the entrance of her door which swung open. "Rukia! Get away from it!"

Rukia heard her father but she didn't want to move, from the darkness she saw someone she hadn't seen in so many years: her mother. The short woman, almost a replica of Rukia had her back facing Rukia but did not move. Kon was squirming in her arms until he saw the woman as well. He didn't even notice the symbols on Rukia's body, the tattoos that began to glow in the midst of the darkness.

A path was being formed in front of Rukia, one that was leading to her mother; Rukia leaned her head to the side and wondered, "What is this?" She was being led to somewhere, and she was not being led by death. Death was blunt and straightforward; it was never a trickster or tried to manipulate someone.

"Rukia!" Her father yelled again as he casted a spell that was reencountered.

"Who are you?"

The woman turned, her image slowly changing into someone different. Her eyes were shadowed but her lips turned into a smile as almost sarcastically she answered, "Your fairy Godmother." The path became clearer, "Now come, we must protect you…please."

"I do not want to leave."

"You have to; you're not safe here in the world of the living. Being here is not only harming yourself but it's going to harm those around you."

"Magic…" it brushed passed her and her eyes widened, "you want me to hide in the realms."

Her room was coming apart, aging so that Rukia was standing in dust of what once were her curtains, bed sheets, and the fabric that once covered her small couch. "Hurry," the woman whispered hastily again.

The thought of leaving was very tempting, it was easy to be found in the world of the living but in the realm of magic, she could hide. If she does hide would she be able to protect those around her?

Rukia already took one step; Kon reacted by giving small growls. Rukia would have taken another if it wasn't for a pair of arms enclosing around her chest and waist, bringing Kon closer to her body as she was being pulled away.

"The hell you think you're doing, Rukia!" Her eyes meant Ichigo's, his desperate pull on her was strong enough that it propelled them back, Ichigo's back hit the wall and they slid down onto the floor.

His grip on her was still secured, never once slackening.

"_Nee-san! Are you alright_!"

Byakuya went in the room and casted a spell that closed the gates of the realm of magic and reverted everything back to normal, as if it never happened. Kensei and Hachigen were also up, running towards the mess and glancing at the couple on the floor. Rukia still had a lost look on her face; Ichigo was still trying to bring her back.

He turned her face towards him, repeating her name until she grew irritated and shoved him away. She tried to get up but he still had a good grip on her.

Byakuya, who was walking out the room, looked at his workers, "Everything is under control, go back to bed." The old wizard then looked over at Ichigo who still held a squirming Rukia captive, "Mutt, let go of my daughter."

Ichigo looked up at Byakuya and smirked, "Okay." Ichigo quickly went and kissed Rukia before letting her go. Kon was already trying to claw Ichigo's face off with his small nails.

Rukia, surprised from the sudden kiss, and that it was in front of her father, stood up and backed away from Ichigo. Mouth opened as she tried to regain her composer, but instead she stood still and looked over at her father.

"Better?" Ichigo asked.

Byakuya gave the _beta _a cold glare, "You're sleeping outside."

"Before I do that, let me ask: what the fuck happened in there, Rukia?"

"While I was hoping to ask you that in private, I, for once, agree with the Mutt. What happened, Rukia?"

Rukia looked at both of them and shook her head, "I do not know. I was just going to bed when the portal to the realm of magic opened…there was also a woman, she said she was my 'fairy godmother', if I go with her I would be protected and no one else would get hurt."

"And you almost went with her, Rukia!" Ichigo snarled.

"It was a very tempting proposition," She argued.

"_It was! It was!_" Kon piped in.

"We will speak more of this tomorrow morning." Byakuya cut in, "Rukia, go to bed. Kurosaki, go sleep outside, now." Byakuya pulled his daughter away from Ichigo, "You still may sleep in your room, I casted a protection spell. However, if you like you may sleep in another room."

"I understand…then, would it be alright to sleep in mother's old sun room?" She asked.

The old wizard was quiet, stoic as he nodded his head, "I will cast another protection spell in the room then. Follow me, you as well, Kurosaki. I would feel relieved if I knew you were aware of where Rukia is sleeping tonight…in case something else happens."

"Really?" Ichigo grinned, "This is surprising."

"Yes, but if you go to her room for any other reason besides saving her I will kill you."

"Got it. Got it."

Byakuya led the two of them to the old sun room; it was further down south, past a surprisingly large library which he swore another one was downstairs. Maybe it was a two floor library? Byakuya stopped in front of a white painted door and told Rukia to stay in the hall as he entered the room.

A rush of magic came from the room and then a quick flash of light. Byakuya quietly walked out and bid his daughter goodnight before giving Ichigo a glare.

"Kurosaki–"

"'Sleep outside', got it Byakuya." The _beta _wolf said as he gave Rukia a grin and then began to walk away.

"No," Byakuya said, stopping Ichigo, "I was going to say, thank you for saving Rukia, you are still allowed to sleep in my home." Before Ichigo could said anything, Byakuya left and went back to his room, leaving a surprised Rukia and a happy Ichigo.

"I never," She said as she set Kon on the ground and he stayed by her side.

"I think I got under your dad's skin." He grinned as he followed her into the room.

He understood why it was called the 'sun room' for one of the walls was simply windows facing the garden. Curtains were apart and the moonlight shined through the glass. There was a day bed at one wall, a coffee and sofa on the other side. Warm colors and homey qualities, it was entirely different compared to the rest of the Kuchiki household.

"What a room."

"This was the first room my mother decorated when we moved here, she couldn't add her motherly touch anywhere else because she soon died afterward," Rukia responded smoothly.

"I see," He looked over at her, "You should go to bed."

Kon already hopped onto the bed, stating he was going to protect his precious _nee-san_.

"You should as well; I can see the bags under your eyes, Ichigo."

"I want a kiss."

"Do you not think that is a very impolite way to ask for a kiss?" She teased him, leaning against the door frame.

"I was never a polite to begin with," He ignored Kon's cries of injustices as he leaned down and brushed his lips with hers to which she leaned up and pressed her lips more firmly. They pulled away and his hand settled on her shoulder, "If anything happens, call for me…please."

Rukia's mouth slightly opened, wanting to tell him something but she sealed them up tightly and instead gave a smirk. "I will think about it."

"You tease me way too much, Rukia."

"You always say that; you would think you would get used to it, Ichigo. However, I also do believe I should get an award for it." She pushed away from the door frame, "Goodnight," she whispered and closed the door, not waiting for his 'goodnight.'

Ichigo stood there like an idiot and gave a quick grin as he turned and went back to his room, rubbing the back of his head. "I swear..."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Morning, Miss Rukia." Hachigen smiled at her, "Did you sleep well?"

Rukia nodded her head, "I slept as well as I could have after last night." She sat down at the dining table alone. Kon was still asleep and she didn't have the heart to wake him up. She gave a contented sigh though, placing her napkin on her lap as she waited for her breakfast. The morning sun, or more like almost noon sun, shined brightly through the large windows.

"Well, I made a good hearty breakfast for you: eggs, bacon, toast, rice, juice, milk, and an apple." Hachigen added more items on her plate, giving her another plate and another until Rukia had a meal for three in front of her.

"Please do not expect me to eat all of this by myself."

"Ah, but Mr. Ichigo asked me to give you a nice big meal, he said that you were too skinny."

"Not this nonsense again," Hachigen then set the same meal across from her and Rukia raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, Mr. Ichigo was waiting until you were awake so he could have lunch with you." Hachigen explained, "Well, breakfast for you."

"Hm, then where is he?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"As much as it pains me to say this, but I do acknowledge your relationship with my daughter but it also comforts me to know that you will care for her." Byakuya looked up from his stack of paper to Ichigo who was leaning back on a chair, nodding his head at what Byakuya said.

Ichigo was woken up earlier by Kensei to talk to Byakuya before he went to work. In his personal office that was in a large room, books covered the walls as large windows were behind the Kuchiki's head. The office was amazing. It smelled of Byakuya and aged books, it was nice but he wished he had a cigarette.

"I am leaving Rukia to your care but I repeat that I do not want her sleeping under the same roof as you. I want to keep some modesty in this after all. Gladly, I don't need to tell you about protecting her since I've never seen anyone, beside myself, exhausting so much energy trying to protect my daughter. On that, I trust you greatly.

"However, as my daughter, Rukia still needs to attend important meetings in my place since I have been bound to the revealing of the Others here." Byakuya took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before placing them back on and continued. "She will be attending meetings in my place but also one formal gathering on a cruise ship; this is a couple of weeks away however. May you promise me that you will not get in the way of Rukia's duties?"

Ichigo was stunned at the question and frowned at him, "What do you mean?"

"You like to keep Rukia entertained in humorous manners, which I do not see as harmful but I still like to have Rukia attending her duties and you are, on more than one occasion, a distraction to her."

Ichigo sighed and nodded his head, "Yes, I understand."

"Good, we leave to Japan at one in the morning. You may leave now."

"Ah…thanks." Ichigo slowly nodded, stood, and left the room. He quickly took out a cigarette and lit it; he took three pleasant drags before Kensei passed by him, took the cigarette out of the werewolf's mouth, and put it out by pressing it against Ichigo's jacket.

"No smoking in the house," Kensei said as he kept walking. Ichigo was about to take a hold of the butler's shirt when Kensei turned around, "Oh, and Miss Rukia is waiting for you downstairs."

Ichigo snorted at him but made his way to the dining room, excited to see Rukia. He might as well sprint down the hall and grinned when he saw Rukia waiting for him behind the three plates of hearty food.

She was blinking down at the food before she looked up at him, "I do not wish to eat _all _of this."

"It's okay, what you don't eat I'll finish for you." He grinned and sat across from her. "Let's dig in." Rukia sighed but began to eat, slowly compared to Ichigo who was wolfing down his food.

Breakfast was filled with laughter between the two, teasing coming mostly from Rukia and banter as they ate. It was near the end of their meal when there was a knock at the door and Kensei entered the dining room. "Sorry for interrupting your meal, Miss Rukia; however, Mr. Renji and Mr. Uryu are at the door. Shall I summon them or send them away?"

"They may stay here; I will meet with them once I am done."

"Okay, Miss Rukia. Please excuse me." He bowed and left the room and went back to the two unexpected guest.

"Your butler hates me," Ichigo grumbled.

"I know." Rukia said with a grin on her face.

"Why?"

"Hm, how would I know?"

"Because he works for you."

"He works for my father."

Ichigo grumbled some more but kept silent as he finished his meal and waited for Rukia to be done with hers. She only ate one plate compared to Ichigo who not only ate his portion but hers as well.

"Let us see what they want," Rukia said as they got up and headed towards Rukia's guests.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"It is very…dirty here." Rukia looked over at a grinning Renji.

"No shit," Renji said as he stepped up to Rukia, "Fairs are normally dirty!"

After leaving the detainment center he was at, Renji heard about the fair by a fellow guard at the Kuchiki household. He wasn't sure why but he remembered that Rukia hadn't actually been to one. So, he went and got Ishida involved to go and ask Rukia to go with them. Having Ichigo go was a bonus he guessed.

The young heir looked around, fascinated with the scene around her. The crowd had a good amount of children, teens, young adults, and old alike. The rides were all metal and flashed lights, there were food stands about, and the stands where you could win stuff animals. It was all new for Rukia and the excited smile pasted itself on her face as she and Ishida went to buy tickets.

However, before Rukia could reach for her wallet, Ichigo was already there paying for both of their tickets. "What are you doing?"

Ichigo looked down at her and smirked, "Paying for your ticket, what else does it look like?"

"You're being considerate; this is something I am not very used to."

"I'm always considerate!"

"Sure," She sighed and entered the fair with him, he kept arguing with her as the rest followed.

"God, it's like they're married already," Ishida complained.

"Not just married, it's like they've been married for years." Renji grumbled.

"Sounding bitter, Abarai?"

"Well," Renji mumbled, "the girl I had a crush on since I was little is going out with a guy I can't really hate…it sucks. But, I guess I prefer her being with a mutt like him instead of an _honorable_ man like Kano."

Ahead, Ichigo made sure Rukia was close to him but all the tugging was getting on her nervous. "Will you stop?"

"No, I can't smoke and you're the only thing that smells good here besides _some _food."

"Werewolves," She huffed and forced herself to go ahead.

There was something about them being there that gave all of them a sense of normality and regaining some type of childhood sensation for the short time they were there. They walked along attractions, some time they would sprint to rides and they joyfully forgot everything.

They were only focused entirely of what they were doing.

They were having fun.

Rukia had the men go on all the rides with her. Rukia had Ichigo pay for all of her sweets and cravings. Renji ate all the food he bought while Ishida played at every shooting range he could find. In the middle of their adventure in the fair, they got separated: Rukia with Ichigo and Renji with Ishida.

Ichigo and Rukia were on the ferries wheel, an open, bright yellow cart that swung easily with the slightest movement. Rukia was completely still on the ferries wheel, so nervous whenever it moved that she would grab onto Ichigo's hand. Ichigo laughed at her, teasing her when she tensed at ever twitch of movement.

"This is terrifying."

"It's a ferries wheel."

"I know it is a ferries wheel, I have been on one before but this ferries wheel should not be moving so much."

He barked another laugh, "Are you really that scared?"

The ferries wheel moved, bringing the couple closer to the top. The bright yellow cart swung so loosely that Rukia could already image her death. "Yes!" Rukia's voice cracked as she gripped Ichigo's hand again, "Why does it move so much?"

"Because it's a ferries wheel."

"I swear I am going to hit you."

"If you do you'll make it move." That made Rukia stop the movement of her hand and she slowly set it back on the bar, "It's not that bad."

This time she laughed, "For you but it is for me."

"Coming from the girl who likes to fly away on her broom with no restraints on," Ichigo shook his head at her, "I don't understand."

"I am in control," She admitted, "I like to have control and being on this ferries wheel, where I am trapped and if it somehow breaks, I cannot save myself. No control is probably one of the few things which frighten me."

"You're a control-freak."

"You are an overprotective mongrel," Rukia said as the ferries wheel moved again and she gasped the last part and gripped his hand, "but at least I know I can trust you with my life."

Ichigo's eyes widened at what she said as she closed her eyes when the wheel slowly turned, clicking them to the very top like an arm on a clock hitting midnight. The groans of the machines brought them to a stop, and Ichigo leaned over to Rukia and said, "Open your eyes."

She did and all she saw was the smoky black ocean sky. There were only a couple stars able to be known in the dark clock, so vast and wide, melding together with the ocean so easily. "This…is not so bad I guess," She said in a whisper, turning her head towards him, "However, I can live without that creepy smile on your face, Ichigo."

"It's not creepy," He defended.

"Yes, it is," she huffed, "you are looking at me as if you…"

He was leaning closer to her, "As if I what?"

She titled her head slightly, "You very know well what, Ichigo."

He was about to lean in to kiss her when the ferries wheel moved again and Rukia sat up straight, rigid and tensed as they began to lower. She began to ramble as they descended, "Never again will I step or sit in a ferries wheel like this again. If I do I swear I will have someone's head on a platter."

Ichigo gave a glimpse of annoyance towards the person operating the ferries wheel but seeing Rukia babbling like an idiot made it better. After all, it was a rare sight to see her so unsettled over an open seated cart on a ferries wheel.

Ichigo's hand cupped her face and turned her towards him, her dark blue eyes in a panic as they rocked when they stopped. The wind was more forceful at this height so he brushed her hair away from her face and bent down to kiss her. The kiss was sweet, her lips full and soft, and she, surprised at first, met the kiss tenderly. Closing her eyes and she bravely moved one hand to the back of his head, bringing him closer to her.

Pulling apart, Rukia looked up at Ichigo, his honey brown eyes were radiating with warmth. She noticed his hair was a tad longer, he had gotten sideburns since the last time she saw him. A soft chuckle left her when she touched his cheek, rough with stubble. "I always forget hair grows in a faster rate for you."

He sighed and nuzzled his cheek closer to her hand, "And I just shaved two hours ago."

"Must be a bother."

"You have no idea," Ichigo looked up at the moon, and frowned. "It's almost time for the full moon."

Rukia glanced at the moon as well. "Must be a bother," She repeated, "To have an entire pack take a medicine or else they will lose control and become…"

"A beast?" Ichigo leaned back, "You have no idea."

They were finally off the ferries wheel. Rukia looked as if the weight of the entire world slipped off her shoulders like a heavy robe. After handing Rukia water and getting treats they continued on and another thirty minutes passed and they were slowly passing by the games.

"Do you want that?" Ichigo asked when he noticed Rukia was staring at a stuffed animal, a white rabbit with long floppy ears, an 'x' for a mouth, and black button eyes. It had motley fabric as its shirt; black and red were the squared color pattern. It wasn't so big but it wasn't as small as well. A perfect size.

"Only if you can win it," she teased him and began to move, however Ichigo wasn't following her. Instead he slammed his money on the counter and demanded the balls to knock over the bottles in front of him. "Ichigo! Really?"

"Really," He answered, "and if I win, you have to give me a kiss…in front of everyone for a change."

"Now, that is not fair. You will likely win, Ichigo."

"Which is why I'm betting this," Ichigo smirked, "Agree?"

She looked at him and saw everyone around her staring, with a sigh and a smirk, she agreed.

Ichigo threw the first ball. His aim was precise and the tower of bottles fell; he aimed and knocked the bottles down two more times and he got the stuffed animal for her with ease. The people in line behind him cheered as he walked over to Rukia and handed her the doll. "You better keep this forever."

Rukia smiled but rolled her eyes, "I will keep it until the day I die."

"Where's my kiss?"

"You have to close your eyes," She reasoned.

"Fine," he said and closed his eyes as Rukia tip toed upwards for a kiss in front of everyone; as embarrassing as it was she enjoyed it. She pulled away with a grin and walked away from him.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to find some ice to put on my face," She called back at him, face burning red but she was still happy with the kiss.

"Okay, I'm going to see if there are more things I can win so I can get more rewards," he called back her as she stopped and chased him for once.

"You…," She stumbled, "just cannot do that and in front of everyone!"

"Why not?"

"It is improper!"

"When have _I_ ever been proper before? Come on, I'll win you more stuff."

Rukia was now next to him with a scowl, "No, I do not want you to; you will simply kiss me more."

"Kisses are good for the heart."

"Does it look like I care for your health?"

"Yes," he gave her a look from the corner of his eyes and smirked as he pulled her along.

He won her more stuff animals even if she protested, and he got more kisses as a reward but they had to go somewhere secluded so that Rukia's face could stop beating red. They went on rides, and he bought her ice cream which she pushed against his face as revenge for all the kisses she had to give him.

She, of course, licked it off as she laughed at him in an isolated corner. They were having fun and before they knew it, it was time for the firework display. They found a spot on the shoreline, away from the merriment and a perfect view of the fireworks.

Rukia had Ichigo carrying all six stuffed animals with the exception of the white rabbit as they headed for the shore and sat down on the dry sand. "What am I going to do with so many stuffed animals, Ichigo?"

"Sleep with them all."

"That is a good idea, that way my bed will never feel lonely so I will not seek comfort from someone…like you."

"Bad idea, give them away then."

"Why should I? You won them for me." She smirked, "however, that is a good idea…I should give them to Kenpachi's daughter, she looked like she could use some dolls that aren't meant to be punching bags."

"She makes jokes!"

"Yes, I do as difficult as it is with you being around; your whole personage is a 'joke' as well."

"What!"

Rukia laughed, "You are still too easy to make fun of, Ichigo."

The fireworks started, shooting up the sky in a whirling whistle that exploded and lights of many colors lit the sky. They both settled onto the sand, relaxing with the sea breeze filling their lungs.

"Rukia," He began and heard a hum from her, "Have you ever thought about having a family?" This time, she turned to face him as he finished, "With me? I know the first time I brought it up was after the first time we made love–where you turned me into a toad right afterwards."

"You can't go around impregnating women, Ichigo."

"I wasn't," he said sourly, "it was just you. I agree it was a horrible way to say it but I was thinking if you were with a child, maybe there's hope in this desperate time of ours." She really wasn't mad at him like most women should be, after all she even realized before engaging in the intimate dance that there was no protection.

She might as well be equally guilty for she was thinking the same thing he was, she hoped a baby…a child would bring some happiness. She was as desperate as he was.

"Desperation is funny, don't you think? People want to make happiness appear in the gloom of their sadness, they do not think about what they are doing until afterwards, the consequences that would appear. We are so fragile, our minds and hearts so very fragile." She glanced up at him, "I do understand the whole 'heat' mating period, but I also understand where you are coming from about having a baby, a family. Children are the future, and normally you would think of the mother and father being there for their children.

"I even thought about it before, hoping maybe being pregnant would save me and allow me to live with you and our child…but that thought was so selfish. I understand what you were doing, and I had the ability to use magic to stop you. However, I confess at that moment, I did not want to.

"But…children should be born because of love, not starvation to live like I was hoping for. Children should be born prepared and welcomed into the world with smiles…" She faded away slightly as another firework lit the sky.

"That doesn't happen all the time, does it Rukia?"

"No…but are they monsters? Are you and I monsters for foolishly rejecting social order and morals for selfish reasons? Those that are desperate and hope a child will bring them joy?" She blinked and smiled, "I would not think so, they wish for joy and that is the best thing a child could be called. However, this does not mean everyone should go and get pregnant so they can find happiness, children deserve so much better than that."

"I'm scared," Ichigo said and he pulled a cigarette out from his inner jacket pocket, he nervously looked down at his hands. Fuck, he was trembling. "Besides the fact you were in heat and it was in my nature, as a beast, to claim my mate…it was out of line for me. I was desperate to anchor you here with me, alive and breathing. It was stupid of me."

"Which was why I turned you into a toad...and it could have been worse."

"Please don't do that again."

Rukia smirked at him, "Then do not make me upset again, Ichigo."

Silence. Whirling Whistle. A strike. Boom. Lights.

"I never want to hurt you, Rukia."

Rukia fingered the hair of her stuffed animal, "And I am going to hurt you, Ichigo." She whispered, "I am sorry for that."

"Don't talk like that; we still have time until then."

"Who knows, we may even have more if it does not happen this year," Rukia said.

"I'm going to save you."

"You keep saying that, and I truly…want to believe that."

"Then believe it."

Another whistle followed by a strike, a boom, and then lights.

"You haven't answered my original question, Rukia."

She snorted a laugh and nodded, "I would like to have a family…not any time soon though. I am still nineteen and there are many things I would like to experience before I do…however, I would like to have three to four children. A big family sounds nice. Don't you think?"

"Four would be good…two boys and two girls." He stopped and placed his eyes against the sleeves of his jacket, "I hope to meet them all."

Rukia said nothing at first. She lay on the sand looking up, studying the fireworks as a tear left her eye. "Yeah," her voice cracked slightly, "I hope so too."

The delicate, raw air between them left both open and naked which dissolved when Ichigo looked over at her and asked, "Want to practice?"

Rukia glanced over at him, a frown on her face as she rolled away and sat up, "I swear I never met someone that can ruin a serious moment with three words…however, I am glad you have that ability."

"So…is that a 'yes'?"

"It is a 'no,' Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Fine…, can I have a kiss then?"

"You already got seven of them today," Rukia said firmly and moved to stand up but Ichigo got her hand and pulled her for a kiss.

"Eight, actually. Don't forget the kiss on the ferries wheel," Then, in a short meeting of lips and Ichigo used the distance between them to tell her, "Now nine…Rukia, please don't give up on us yet."

"Your plea has no reasons backing it up," She whispered.

"I do, but I only have one."

"Then let us hear it…"

"You already know what it is, Rukia." Ichigo stood up, helping Rukia along the way as he did.

Rukia stared at him and she wondered, how much can love bring?

They dusted themselves off as the firework display still went on strong. Rukia recommended donating the stuffed animals, since there was an office where they took donations. Rukia even mentioned giving a hardy sum of money to them as well.

There was another boom and bright light, Rukia distracted by it did not see the three people grouping behind them. Ichigo did however and caught the rock that was thrown towards Rukia's direction.

The loud sound of a thump behind her caught her attention. She calmly turned and saw the group; it consisted of one girl and two boys, all about the same age as her and Ichigo. One boy was pale and ghastly looking, nervously looking around. The girl with her short hair in pigtails looked more confident and angry. The other boy who had neat clean hair crossed his arms and made his best to look intimating.

It wasn't working since Ichigo glared at all three.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rukia asked.

"We want you to leave, freak!" The girl yelled, "We don't need your disgusting kind here, plotting to kill us and terrorize us!"

"The only person terrorizing here is you three," Ichigo growled.

"Supernatural dirt should go back to where you belong!" The bolder boy yelled, throwing another large rock which Ichigo easily caught. "Devils! Sins from hell!"

"Yeah!" The girl said, "Sins from hell! Demons! Abomination of human nature! You don't belong here! You don't belong here!"

Once again the bolder boy threw another rock, spitting towards their direction, "Leave! You _magcier_!" He sneered at them.

Ichigo wanted to move but Rukia pulled him back, "If you do something, you are proving them right." She whispered before she stepped forward. "Children," she called them, "Do you not know what you are doing? What you are helping start?"

"WE'RE NOT CHILDREN!" The girl screamed.

"Yet you are acting as if you are three years old, Miss." Rukia said coldly, "You are making such a vast mistake trying to start something. Tell me why? Do you fear me? Have I threatened you in the past before?" Rukia asked, the temperature around them dropping, "What have I done that caused such anger in your hearts?"

"You were born, _magcier_!" The girl yelled.

"_Magcier_?" Ichigo asked to which the two most active of the three laughed in unison.

"It's a term for supernatural shit like yourself!" The neat haired boy mocked, "Now go you fucking pieces of trash! Never come back here again!" This time, they pulled a bottle the silent of the three was holding, a cloth hung from the mouth of the bottle and the boy lit it alive.

Ichigo's eyes widened as they threw the Molotov, hitting the sand powerfully and fire broke out. The three were quiet now, shocked at what they did as the fire bloomed alive and engulfed Ichigo and Rukia.

"Oh shit…" The girl whispered.

"W-we did it!" The bolder boy cried out, "Those fucking _magcier _can't survive that!"

"You're treating us like we're human." Ichigo's voice carried out through the fire and the fire was suddenly extinguish, the couple stood there calmly, a wand was in Rukia's hand.

They were frightened now.

"Attacking us is a bad idea." Ichigo snarled, his teeth were large and the quiet one fell to the ground in shock.

"I truly wonder what to do," Rukia said, "I could easily frighten you all." Her arm extended and all three gasped when light formed from Rukia's wand. "I could destroy you all but I do not want to." The light vanished, "I have no gain from it except for ridding some nuisances from my life. However, if you like to give me a reason, please do."

The icy mask Rukia had on had made those around her freezing in the humid night. The three in front of her shook, nervous more than ever. "How do you know that my _kind_ have not been here longer than yours? What if we are the ones here all along and you are the ones interrupting our society? You three are ones of the most disgusting examples of the human race, striding up here to what? Make me leave as if I do not have a home, a family, a significant partner? Acting so proud over what you are and not who."

Rukia grew angrier, "However, you bring a good example of the lower scum of your kind…and my kind." Ichigo could hear the humans gulp, "Like you three brats, stupid and willing to prove your ludicrous arrogance, there are Others–not _magcier_ as you pleasantly said before–that are more awful than you three. Be wise when confronting someone."

The girl lost her fire but the boy did not, he strode up to Rukia fully intending to hurt her. He pulled back his arm, fist tighten and swung. Ichigo saw everything, wanting to go and protect his mate but he knew there was nothing to worry about.

Rukia could defend herself against lowly humans and she did. With a frown Rukia blocked the attack and flipped the boy with ease, "Like I said: be wise who you are confronting." She looked back to Ichigo, "Shall we go?"

"Yeah." The werewolf said, grabbing the stuffed animals tightly and followed his mate.

They did not glance back to the weeping humans as they took the path back to the fair.

Ichigo and Rukia didn't even get to finish watching the fireworks.

* * *

**The chapters are going to stay long, 20 pages long, because I want to finish this fic but not...make it feel like a sudden stop. I want the ending to come like a flow. **

**So, please review, it really means a lot to me. **


	34. Chapter 33

**I'm very excited for the upcoming chapters; there's going to be loads of drama and angst and tears. While I'm still uncertain about this fic I am still going to contiune it. So, you guys...my readers, the lovers and dislikers of my fic...we're going to be stuck together for another year...give or take. :v Yay!**

**Thank you everyone for the reviews, you guys have no idea how much a review pleases a writer and this writer...she's extremely pleased. :]**

**keaRy anCe thank you for the support, your words really made me feel better. This is for you. 3**

**Thank you to my beta-ers. 3**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter 33**_

_**March 19**__**th**_

_**Where do I go now?**_

"_It's so nice to have you home." Ichigo looked behind him and saw his mother. She had a brilliant smile and ruffled his hair before sitting down beside him. The grass on their lawn was soft and the day sunny and breezy. "Ah, but it's weird to see that you're so big now." Masaki then grinned and pulled on Ichigo's cheek, "I still remember the days you clung to my legs and cried every time Tatsuki-chan beat you in karate."_

_ "Mom…come on," Ichigo pulled away, embarrassed as he rubbed his cheek, "I'm twenty years old, and in the army, stop treating me like a baby." Ichigo gestured towards his clothes, his uniform in a refined state as he fixed his hat._

_ Masaki laughed and brushed her long, curled locks away from her face and smiled brightly, "No matter how old you get, no matter what career you decide to go into you'll always be my baby boy."Her arms wrapped around him and pulled him close; he struggled at first but then stopped. _

_Even as a young adult he still missed his mom when he was away. _

_ "So…tell your mother. How's everything?"_

_ "Normal."_

_ "Normal? Really? Is that all? Honey, you're an Other, life cannot be normal for you." She gave a stern frown and fixed his hat for him, "No new friends? No pretty girls that might become my in-law?"_

_ "Mom! Please!"Ichigo blushed deeply as his mother poked him, "I swear, sometimes you're more embarrassing than Dad…and there's no 'new friends' or 'pretty girls.'"_

_ "Hm, your dad and I were hoping that we'll get grandbabies soon."_

"_Mom, please stop."Ichigo was drowning in the heated blood of his cheeks. _

"_Then, how about you tell me your future plans?"_

_ Ichigo groaned, "I don't have any."_

_ "Really? When I was your age I already knew what I wanted to do."_

_ "Mom, when you were my age you were in the military as well."_

_ She sputtered indignantly, "B-but that was because of your grandfather! Really, it was what he expected from me. You know your grandfather was in the military all his life, and I–just like you–was born on the U.S base here in Japan. I lived between Japan and the States, so I went into the military because I thought that was my destiny. I was surrounded with the thoughts of the military, your grandmother was a housewife and I really thought there was nothing more but the military."_

_ "Then you met Dad."Ichigo enjoyed hearing this story, she told it to him many times before and he never once grew tired of it. _

_ She then frowned and shook her head, "First words that came from that man's mouth: 'You're my mate!' How was I supposed to react to that? I was wearing my uniform with my hair pulled back, and no make-up…I thought he was joking with me!" Masaki looked over to her son, suddenly embarrassed at her outburst, "When you find your mate, never let that be the first words you tell her, got it? But…as I was saying, I did know what I wanted to do when I was your age. Now, come on I have lunch ready."_

_ "Hey, how's that suppose to…hey!" His mother had already walked away, smiling as she opened the door and yelled lunch was ready to the rest of the family. Ichigo sighed and laid down on the lawn, closing his eyes as he tried to come up with something. "How was that supposed to help me decide what to do with my future?"He mumbled. _

_ The past three years he trained with the Yankees, most good people: fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives. They had a reason to fight, the good people he met were fighting to protect and he was one of them. _

_He had one more year in the U.S military, after that what was he supposed to do? He wanted to stay in there for as many years as he could, he felt he was doing something useful with his life. Then, at the same time there was his family, his pack. Could he leave them behind? _

_It was expected of him to become _Alpha _once his dad stepped down. _

_ He could work with his father and start his training to take over the pack and the hotel, or he could also go to the police academy and become a police officer. There were many options out there, a path with many forks that he doesn't know where to go. He didn't want to be lost. He was afraid of how the decision he was going to make was going to affect his future. Unclear and unsure were thoughts he didn't want to have about his life, if he fucked up he will have no one to blame but himself._

_ The streaks of sun were warm, clouds rolled by, the breeze was welcoming and even in his inner dilemma life went on, and so would he one day. _

_What was he going to do?_

_He needed to find a career, a passion where he could devote his life protecting everyone. He was nothing if he couldn't protect, he wouldn't be able to breathe if he watched people die in front of him and he, who has strength and power, simply stood there. _

_ He needed to protect. He yearned to find his mate one day. He didn't want to feel lost any longer. _

_ Then, his biggest fear was that he didn't want to lie in his grave and dream of things he could have done. _

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I can't believe it's starting already." Ichigo and Rukia met up with Renji and Ishida, each one of them carried two stuff animals except for Rukia who still carried the white rabbit.

"They were teens?" Ishida asked.

"Yeah, no older than Rukia," Ichigo said and soon after cursed as a whoosh of air left his lungs. Rukia looked over at him and gave a quick grin as he rubbed his side where she just elbowed him.

They were walking to give the stuff animals to charity, finding the bin where donations were always welcome. Renji was the first to place the stuff animals inside the bin; he turned towards Rukia who was sucking on a lollipop.

"How's your hand, Rukia?" Renji asked to which they ignored Ichigo's snarl. She told him about her burn soon after they left the shoreline. He was upset but luckily, it was a small burn on her right hand, all fingers bright red and sore. So, she sucked on a lollipop as she held her stuff animal.

"It is alright…but I feel like a child."

"Just put your hair in pigtails and you'll look like one, Rukia-san."

"I do not like you anymore," She responded quickly to Ishida with a frown as they walked away and headed to Rukia's home.

Ichigo plucked the rabbit from Rukia's arm and asked to see her hand, "It's healing already, that's good."

"Told you it was nothing to worry about," Rukia sighed softly.

"There were three?" Renji wanted to know more about the kids that threatened them, "two boys and one girl?"

"Yeah, but it was mostly the girl and one boy, the other boy looked as if he was forced to go there, right Rukia?" The young nymph nodded and kept on licking her sweet.

"It doesn't make sense," Ishida said, "This shouldn't escalate this much already unless…"

"My father revealed that Others exist," Rukia said.

"He wouldn't, he's going to need permission from Old man Yama to do anything," Renji reasoned.

"It does not matter, the Others secret has already been revealed because of the video. It would be better to say it now than later. The longer we waited the more speculation would happen and people beginning to suspect each other and do something extremely…stupid."

Sirens from fire trucks ringed pass by them, "Like setting your house on fire," Ishida said.

Rukia paused and raised an eyebrow, "Yes…"

"Your house is on fire, Rukia-san."

Ichigo and Renji snapped their eyes to the sky, where a cloud of heavy smoke bloomed from the ground. They all ran to her home, hearing the sirens again, louder and louder. There were people surrounding her home, camera crews and reporters doing their jobs.

Rukia gasped when she saw her house and quickly began to look around for the workers of the Kuchiki household. "Kensei!" Rukia spotted her butler and ran to him. He was covered in ash and was coughing, "are you alright? Where is everyone else?"

"Everyone's fine, Miss Rukia, we all got out…" Kensei slowly died out as he gave Rukia Kon and looked pass her. The young nymph turned, confused and then surprised when Byakuya appeared from a car. Both hands extended and his heavy brown wand being held steadily in one hand.

He said a spell in pubic, with cameras focusing on him and from his wand a mist appeared. It grew larger and larger over the home, grey and dense and it then rain. Everyone stopped to watch the old wizard, humans shocked at the display, reports asking their camera men if they got the footage without moving their eyes from Byakuya Kuchiki.

The fire was put out quickly and he took a quick look at the damage. Walking passed the yellow tape, passed the police officers, passed the firemen and he looked at the damage. It wasn't so bad; he stopped it before it could have gotten worse and engulfed the first floor of his home.

Nodding, he casted another spell, a reversal spell that restored his house back to its original form before the fire started. The damage, thankfully, was minimal allowing the spell to work perfectly.

The wizard turned to face the crowd and caught his daughter's face along with those who were accompanying her. He felt relief inside of him when he noticed her purse, she was out and wasn't hurt because of the fire. "Rukia, let's go inside," he said, "you three as well." He addressed Ichigo, Renji, and Ishida before addressing the crowd, "Everyone else, please go home and thank you for the concern over my house."

Rukia, who was at the entrance of her home, also thanked the crowd for their concern following Ishida and Renji. Ichigo was already inside following his mate.

The stunned crowd slowly began to leave one by one, confused and unsure as to what to do. The crime was obviously a hate crime, an hour earlier Byakuya announced he was a wizard and even pulled out his wand but did not do a spell.

Now, the realization started to sink in for the humans and mixed emotions invaded all of them. For now they questioned: were these Others good or bad?

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I see," were the only words that Byakuya left as Rukia and Ichigo told them of what happened at the shore. The old wizard admitted that he officially revealed that Others existed three hours prior and apologized to Rukia. With her dark blue eyes, suddenly dull, she gave a half hearted smile and said it was nothing to be concerned about.

It was close to one when Byakuya called Rukia, Ichigo, Renji, and Ishida back into his office. He stared at each one and told them to get ready except for Rukia, he told her he would give her money to buy clothing in Japan, make it far easier for her to travel.

Confused at what he said but not willing to question him, Rukia nodded and did as she was told to. Kon was with her, wanting to go with her but she told him he couldn't. He sulked as Rukia asked Kensei to watch over her cub to which he agreed to do.

At midnight, the three males: Ichigo, Renji, and Ishida were all confused as to why they weren't at the airport yet, waiting for their flight. Byakuya entered with Rukia, his wand already out and she was holding a bundle of fabric. "Ready?" He asked, and they all nodded.

"Good, for where we are going is a place very dangerous but, sadly, more convenient for us." Byakuya looked at Rukia, "You remember right, Rukia?"

"Yes, father."

"Wait," Ichigo said, "What are you talking about?"

"The portal…to cross in great distances in almost no time," Byakuya led them as he continued to explain, "It is very dangerous, Others that are true evil lurk in that realm for that is where they get banished."

"So…this realm is a prison?" Ishida asked.

"Correct. They are all locked up, a powerful spell placed on them by the hundred and eighty mightiest witches and wizards in the world."

Ichigo glanced down at Rukia who seemed unfazed by it, "Wait, Rukia's been there?"

"Rukia recently has been admitted into the coven of Wizards and Witches, when she was seventeen she assisted with imprisoning a dangerous werewolf." Byakuya led them outside to the garden.

"Then, if it's a prison made by the most powerful spells and wizards and witches alike, why is it dangerous, Mr. Kuchiki?" Renji asked, looking behind him at the house and back at his boss.

"Because their bodies are trapped but not their passion. They try to get loose, fight against the spells placed on them and sometimes they do get free when the spell gets so loose they break free and roam the realm. Waiting for a poor sap to enter the realm and then escape to the world of the living or realm of magic." Byakuya finally stopped in front of a white archway; green vines with pink flowers interlaced with the metal, and turned around. "Which is why I ask you all to come, most of the inmates are male and Rukia might as well be a glass of water to their dehydrated minds."

Ishida looked around, spotting only greens and nature, "How are we going to enter the realm?"

"It is quite easy," Rukia answered, "All we need is a…doorway."

Byakuya, with his wand extended, casted a spell on the archway and the inside space became bright with light. It then faded into a white sheet, moving steadily and making noises that sounded like the wind's subtly hollow wails.

"Rukia," Byakuya said and Rukia unfolded the cloak she was holding and wrapped it around her. He said nothing and entered the portal, Rukia followed swiftly with Ichigo close behind. Ishida and Renji were hesitant, Renji because he was human and Ishida because he never even thought there was an Others prison for the extremely evil.

"L-let's go," Renji stuttered and Ishida quickly entered without a word as Renji ran inside. Entering the realm, Byakuya, Rukia, and Ichigo waited for them. Byakuya and Ichigo both held torches as they observed the realm around them.

Cobblestone hallways, high and looming, everything was dark and gloomy. Scurrying noises were around them, rumbles of sound that did not sound natural. The air was cool and damp, and then there were hundreds of things pacing around, coming alive. Realizing that there were Others outside of their cages.

"The fuck…" Renji whispered.

"Hush," Byakuya said, "Let us not cause more commotion than necessary. Rukia, stay in the middle."

Nodding her head, Byakuya finally began to move, leading everyone down the long corridor. Their pace was slow, cautious as they moved. Even if it wasn't pitch black, everyone was having a difficult time of seeing except for Ichigo.

Then, the corridor opened up to a large room; so many floors that one could not see the ceiling. That was when every single prisoner woke up and slammed into the bars, calling out to them.

"Hey, hey! Get me the fuck out of here!" One roared.

"Look what we got here, new meat to fucking devour." Another snickered.

Flames came out from another cage, it must have been a dragon locked up in there. It was chaotic, all of them suddenly sparked with passion to escape. There was banging on the railings, yells and screams.

They ignored them as best as they could, it was harder on Renji and Ichigo to say nothing as they were being called nasty remarks. They entered the elevator, which was plastered against the wall, a simple circular platform with that pushed them up, floor after floor. It was when they stopped on what Ichigo believed to be the hundred twenty-fifth floor they left and followed the rigid pathway that was right next to the prison cages.

They kept the same pace, sounds still echoed through the building. Every single one of them thought they would leave without any problem until a crash of glass was heard right besides them and a large hand shot out through the bars and grabbed Ishida who pushed Rukia aside. It pulled the young elf close to the bars, pressing him closely to the cold metal.

"I can smell it," The giant said and pushed, "a woman! Where is she!" The inmate yelled and there was a hush of silence.

Ishida did nothing as he was held there, too busy looking around. The quietness around them that seemed to appear like a sudden rain fall burst into thunder storm. The hand around him squeezed and Ishida gasped loudly, "Fucking damnit!"

Ichigo already had his gun out and shot the hand that had Ishida. The surprise loss of air made his legs not able to hold him up as he gasped for molecules of oxygen and landed on the floor. It was Renji who was picking him up and helped him as they all ran. There were more crashes of spells being broken; now all that seems to be holding the prisoners in their cage was the metal bars themselves.

"We're almost there!" Byakuya yelled behind him as he casted another spell and a large blank wall outlined with light and a portal was formed. They were close when smoke began to form in the prison.

"What's going on!" Ichigo barked, glancing back at Ishida who was still gasping.

"Security," Byakuya said, "when a spell is broken or an inmate escapes the prison the security system emits a sleeping gas and security guards floods the place and locate everyone where they need to be." The portal was only seconds away when the screeching sounds to metal bars opened and a victory yell was made.

"Move. Move. Move!" Renji yelled and they all ran through the portal, leaving the prison and entering the backyard of Urahara who was waiting for them.

"How was it?" The shopkeeper asked with everyone but Byakuya and Ichigo crashing to the ground.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Nothing more but bruised ribs," Urahara said with a smile at Ishida, who was nursing his ribs, the skin above turning black and blue. "You have such good luck!"

"Good luck?" Ishida mused, "I believe you meant to say bad luck."

There were three knocks on the door before Urahara screamed that it was alright to enter the room. Rukia was the first to enter, being concerned when Ishida tried to get up.

"It is only bruised ribs, nothing to worry about," Ishida reasoned.

Ichigo entered and helped him stand while Rukia thanked Urahara for checking on him. "It's no problem, Kuchiki-san! Ishida-kun is basically family just like you!"

Byakuya was lingering at the door and heard the comment Urahara said. Rukia raised a brow at her father, who said nothing, but the annoyance was there in his eyes; at least he was adjusting to her being Ichigo's mate.

The time of travel from getting from D.C. to Karakura was less than five minutes, it surprised every single one of them except for father and daughter. Isshin arrived moments after Urahara went to check on Ichida, his car parked outside as he waited for them.

They traveled to the _Supra Natural_, Ishida and Renji went with Urahara and the rest with Isshin. Rukia fell asleep on the drive over there and was woken up by Ichigo when they arrived. From the car they went straight into a meeting room.

More than half of the representatives were missing.

"Nice to see you again, Kuchiki-san, Rukia-san."

"It is nice to see you as well, Yamamoto-san." Byakuya said as he and Rukia bowed before taking their seats.

Ichigo, sitting next to his father across from the Kuchiki looked around the room. Soi Fong was sitting in her usual seat, Isane played with her fingers as she waited. Tōsen and Komamura sat next to one another, speaking in hushed whispers, something about the death of an Others. Shunsui and Ukitake were drinking tea with Yamamoto.

The door opened again and Ichigo glanced up, looking at the end of the room where the entrance was at. A man entered with a cup of tea and settled it in front of Rukia, Byakuya nodded in approval as Rukia began to drink it. Then Gin, with a bandage around his head and arm entered the room after the waiter left, and somehow still having a smile on his face. "I guess I'm the last one." He said.

"Alright, we're all here." Yamamoto said, "tell me everything."

And so they did.

First topic was the missing representatives; the Russian vedmak representative went on a rampage after his daughter was taken away from him, with Kenpachi's lost of control he was currently in China's custody.

Hitsugaya was beaten until he was hospitalized and now was in a coma; his fiancé, Momo, had a panic attack after that, and now was sobbing uncontrollable besides him. This news shook Rukia, she stared at where Hitsugaya normally sat at and played with her hair. She felt guilt at not knowing, how could she not know?

It was the news of Aizen and Mayuri that sent a wave of shock to everyone.

Aizen of Italy was murdered. His body was found at the capital, pierced in the heart and hanged on to the main wall of city hall. Displaying his mangle body openly for the world to see; sending a threat to Others and humans alike.

Nobody knew if this was a crime caused by a human, an Others, or an Espada.

Gin revealed that he was with Mayuri when the scientist and his daughter were killed. They were cornered and about to be killed when he luckily fought back and escaped with only a bullet wound. Gin also said that the attackers were Espada, and when he came back to the lab to retrieve and investigate, Mayuri and his daughter were murdered. They checked everything in the lab and only one thing was missing: God's Glove.

"The 'God's Glove' is what?" Soi Fong asked.

"A device that is able to reach inside someone's soul…that's all I know." Gin responded, "Mayuri did not have any notes on the invention, and I only know that much because that's what he told me before…he passed away."

"So, it's stolen?" Isane inquired, "The Espada obviously stole it, so what now?"

"We need to find out its purpose and what harm it could bring." Ichigo said, looking over at Rukia who finished her herbal tea and was listening intently.

"Then what about the humans?" Ukitake pondered, "We cannot leave them be and stand aside as they harm Others."

"Revealing of the Others was the main objective, not causing a war between us and the humans; and I still say we uphold that concept," Shunsui argued.

"This isn't going as planed," Isshin grumbled.

Byakuya spoke up, "I express condolences for the deaths of Aizen, Mayuri and his daughter. I do ponder about our relationship with the humans but I am sure that will be fixed over time, slowly but surely. My main concern, as many could guess correctly, is about my daughter."

"Your daughter's situation is a great concern for us," Yamamoto said sternly, "There are many things that need to be discussed and there are not many good answers. We have everyone investigating and Isshin will have all his pack members guarding your daughter."

"We should just threaten the humans!" Soi Fong yelled, "Get them off our back!"

"If we do that, we'll be starting a war." Isane responded swiftly.

"A war will get us nowhere." Gin reasoned, "Even if it would feel damn good to get into one."

"If we do, what would happen? Others and humans have been together for many centuries. Relationships would be torn apart if we did." Isshin growled.

"We are falling apart," Byakuya spoke up, "and if we fight the way they want us to, our voice will be silenced."

The argument continued and escalated, everyone joined in except for Rukia. Yelling were on both sides, even from the passive Ishida and the normally quiet Urahara. It was then, after two hours that Rukia got fed up and stood up softly.

She looked around the room, now quiet and left.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia shut her phone and smiled, at least she had done something proactive today.

There were many thoughts passing through her mind as she walked away from the hotel, the arguments, the Others, her mate…again. She could sympathize with Ichigo about her always leaving him, it was a habit of hers ever since her mother died which, she concluded, should stop. There was no reason for her to run away anymore.

The walk was brisk and she only stopped to buy three bottles of bubbles from a convenient store on the way. She glanced at her watch and nodded her head at the time, Karin and Yuzu should be out of school by the time she arrived.

Karakura High School wasn't a large school, it was standard sized and as she waited at the front gate she watched as students, most happy and boastful, pass by. She wondered how school would have felt like if she had actually gone to one. Home school felt like a different plain compared to all the teenagers in their uniforms and groups of friends.

"Must be nice."

"Hey pretty girl," A voice, thick and gruff, crashed from behind.

Rukia turned around and a teenager, large with bleached hair and a piercing. He was giving his best smile as the two boys behind him smirked and playfully punched one another as they stared at her.

"_I wonder if this is part of high school as well?_" She wondered. She gave a look of expectation, giving them permission to say more.

"A quiet one, eh? I heard the quiet girls are freaks in bed."

"_I take that back,_" Rukia thought as she sighed, "_And here I was hoping for something involving a high school experience._"

Rukia opened her mouth, ready to give a retort to the impolite boys when another voice came from behind her and she jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder. "Get lost!" Karin growled at them.

"Yeah! You can't just hit on any girl!" Yuzu spoke up on her other side, glaring at the boys intensely.

"The Undesirable Kurosaki twins," The boy spat, "What business do you have here, can't you little girls see I'm trying to get a date with a lady?" He made a move to shove Karin away, his arm however stopped by a dainty hand around his wrist.

"Never lay a hand on a lady." Rukia's voice was cool.

"Why you little–" His left arm flew to slap Rukia.

She was quicker and twisted the arm she had captured, making the boy fall to his knees and kicked him away. "Why now, I thought you said I was a lady?" Rukia gave a superior grin, "Does not matter for it does not change the factor that you are a 'little' boy."

The bleached haired boy was surprised at the sudden humiliating defeat from a woman that wasn't even half his size and cried out, "Who are you!"

"Idiot!" Yuzu responded, "This is our brother's girlfriend!"

"Yeah, you know our brother, right? Kurosaki Ichigo?"

Those words made the fallen teen get up quickly and bow at the girls he insulted, "I am terribly sorry." He turned to glare at his laughing friends, "Shut up! Shut up and let's go!" All three jogged away, glancing back at the girls once or twice and turned a corner.

Yuzu waved at them as Karin laughed loudly, "What a bunch of losers, huh Yuzu?"

"Now Karin, just because they said nasty things doesn't mean we should." Yuzu chastised, "Anyways, Rukia-nee is back! Let's go celebrate at that cute pasty shop!"

Without another word the girls pulled Rukia away, Karin walking slightly ahead as Yuzu walked next to Rukia. The pastry shop was close; it was a girly shop but lovely with white molding and French themed tables and chairs.

"I'm so glad you're back and safe, Rukia-nee!" Yuzu said promptly as she ate her cake happily.

"Yeah, Ichi-nee was getting annoying with all his moping." The other twin said.

"Was he now?" Rukia took a bite of her own dessert, a chocolate lava cake. The cake itself was moist and the chocolate in the middle very delicious and sweet. "Tell me, why did the boy run away when he heard Ichigo's name?"

"Ah, that's because Ichi-nii was known as a delinquent in high school."

"But Ichi-nii wasn't." Yuzu corrected, "It was because of Ichi-nii's hair that gave him that title."

"Which reminds me, what'd he do?"

Rukia stopped from taking a bite from her dessert and looked at Karin, "What do you mean?"

"Well, if you're back Ichi-nii wouldn't let you out of his sight, so I'm guessing he did something stupid."

"Whatever it is you should forgive him," Yuzu timidly picked at her cake, "Ichi-nii is not good with words but everything he does is always because he cares."

Rukia laughed at them which caught them off-guard. "Ichigo did nothing wrong except being over-protective, but that's something to be expected from him. No…I was simply in a place where I was losing my mind. That is all."

What felt like a blink of an eye, Rukia and the twins were high in a tree. All sitting on separate branches on different levels, each blowing bubbles as they watched the sun setting. It was peaceful even if they were that far out of the city.

"_Was this normal?_" Rukia wondered as she watched the bubbles float away from her, she used to do this a lot with her mother. Every Sunday afternoon, they'd blow bubbles and watch them disappear into the sunset. This was normal for her but she wondered if it was normal for the twins.

Rukia glanced over at Karin who was concentrating on blowing a huge bubble, steadily filling the bubble with air. It didn't turn out good since it popped but Karin was determined and tried again.

Rukia leaned back on the tree and looked over at the other side, where Yuzu was sitting but there was a frown on her face. "Do you love Ichi-nii?" Yuzu asked.

"Yes." The answer slipped through her easily and it unsettled her slightly.

"Then…you're not going to leave again, right?"

"Do not be silly Yuzu; there will be moments when I need to leave."

"She's not talking about leaving because you're going to visit your pop or something, Rukia-nee." Karin piped in, "She's asking if you're going to leave Ichi-nii…and then not come back."

Rukia's silence answered the girl's question and they went back to blowing bubbles.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Hey," Rukia greeted as she opened the door to Ichigo's office. She frowned when he looked up at her with his own frown, unimpressive. "I brought cake." She chimed, "You are not angry…right, Ichigo?" The _beta _werewolf huffed and looked down at his paperwork, clearly ignoring her. "It is chocolate."

Another huff.

She stopped and thought of something else, "I am sorry I left without telling anyone anything, you must have been worried."

"You could've text me at least." He finally spoke, his hands gathering the paper that was on her spot and he patted the desk gently. "Can I still have my cake?"

"Of course," Rukia went and hopped on the desk, setting the pastry box in front of Ichigo. "And here I thought I needed to peruse you into forgiving me." She then laughed and settled the fork next to the box, "I was about to bribe you with having me feed the cake to you."

"I'm still upset with you," He swiftly said and she noticed the blush on his cheeks.

"Too late," Rukia shook her head and inclined her head slightly, "Feed yourself."

He smirked, grabbing the pastry box and opening it. The chocolate smelt so good to Ichigo that his toes curled. He ate a spoonful and he wanted to hum at how it tasted; this must have been from the pastry shop Yuzu loved to get dessert from. He would never forget the first time she brought dessert from that pastry shop; he was in his final year of high school if he remembered correctly.

"This is from the pastry shop Yuzu likes going to, huh?"

"Yes, your sisters took me. It was Yuzu's idea to buy cake for you."

Another bite, "Yuzu…smart girl," he said. "So, you go spend time with my sisters but not with me."

"Stop complaining."

"Okay. Okay…besides seeing my sisters, what else did you do?" Ichigo saw her eyebrow perk up, "Doesn't take a detective, Rukia. I figure you're up to something when my sisters called me two hours ago and they said you were heading here to see me; doesn't take two hours to get from the old man's house to here."

"It is nice to know it will be a challenge to hide stuff from you in the future, seems I must increase my stealth ability" She joked, "What I was doing was getting Kenpachi's daughter out of custody, which worked and she is currently with Miss Yoruichi. I was working on getting Kenpachi out of jail as well, but it seems that it is going to take more time since he injured more than one hundred men."

"I completely understand them, Kenpachi's a scary man." He said after finishing another spoon of cake, it was delicious but he found it to be more appealing than the last time he ate cake before. "But a man that loves his daughter isn't a real bad man. How long do you think it'll take?"

"I do not really know, but I have sent a letter telling him that his child is in Karakura in Miss Yoruichi's care instead of the government."

"Hopefully that'll put his mind to ease."

After another spoonful he realized it did taste better because it was Rukia who brought it for him–even if it was Yuzu's idea, it was nice knowing she was considering him. "Enjoying yourself?" She asked and he nodded, "I wish I could say the same for me."

He shrugged his shoulders and took another bite and before he was done chewing the moist cake, she got some icing of the cake and smeared it on his cheek. Confused, he looked over at her and she was smirking, "You got some cake on your face, Ichigo."

"I do?"

"Yes."

He went to take some of it off his cheek with his finger and quickly wiped it on Rukia's own cheek. "You do, too and you're not even eating it." He watched as she tried to look down on her cheek and he gave a short chuckle, "_So far so good: got the job, got the girl…now all I need to do is not let go._"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"This isn't wise, Kurosaki."

"I agree, Ichigo."

The _beta _werewolf looked behind him to his two friends, Ishida and Chad, who were following close behind him. All three were crouching, hands plastered against the wall as they moved slowly. "I told you two to wait outside!" He whispered harshly at them as he kept leading them.

"That's not the point, Kurosaki." Ishida whispered back at him, "Following or not, you'll still get your ass kicked or killed and we're still going to need to save your ass."

"My ass doesn't need saving." Ichigo argued.

"Unless it's Kuchiki-san saving you," Chad laughed at him.

"My girl prefers to save her knight than have him save her, how's that a bad thing?" Ichigo smirked as he stood up and peered into the hallway. "Now shut it, we're investigating."

Ichigo checked his gun, switched the safety off and walked down the hall. Ishida and Chad both got their weapons out, Chad had a gun like Ichigo's but Ishida had his bow and arrow.

An hour or so earlier a report was given to Chad about a large group of humans purchasing silver bullets, garlic, stakes, holy crests, and so on. Of course most of the list items the humans bought wouldn't kill the Others they were meant for but the sudden rush of aggression was startling.

Ichigo, hearing word of this and having nothing better to do, took it upon himself to see what it was all about. So, in a warehouse that was still being used, Ichigo with Ishida and Chad followed the trail here. The scents of the humans were strong and not at all appealing to Ichigo, he was itching for a cigarette.

They went down the hall, following the scents and went down a flight of stairs, arriving at the basement. Before opening the door to the basement Ichigo listened closely, hearing the conversation inside. Each sentence came from different people:

"Can we do this?"

"Of course we can! We bought everything, now all we need to do is take action."

"Like he said, we need to take out the heads of the _Others_, and the social icon of the Others."

"It should be easy…Kuchiki left his daughter alone and we can take her out easily. She's only about five feet tall."

"That old man…dragon, right? He'll be hard to kill."

"The same with the werewolves, heard their senses are twenty times better than ours. We'll need to be careful."

"Doesn't matter, we have the bombs. Kill all of those bitches. When is she coming with the explosives?"

"I just called her, she should be here now."

That was when footsteps were heard from behind them that Ichigo decided to take action. He made a signal with his hand towards Ishida to knock out the woman who was coming and another to Chad that the giant was going to charge inside with him. Setting his hand down, he waited until he heard the hurried footsteps of the woman from above.

Ichigo made his hand into a fist and they all took action.

Ishida was at the top of the staircase when the woman skidded the corner; she was knocked out before she saw Ishida. Kicking the door open, Ichigo and Chad rushed in. Arms up as Ichigo yelled, "Hands up where I can see them!"

"Hands up, now!" Chad shouted.

There was a sense of panic washing over the humans. They scrabble to get the plans they had written out together and hide them while others immediately did as they were told. "I said stop! Hands up!" Ichigo roared, the volume of it shook the room and the humans stopped and stared.

A female was glancing between Chad and her pants but before she could do anything Chad called her out, "Move and I'll shoot."

There was a surprised yelp and then a thud, Ishida slowly walked down the stairs, armed and ready to shoot as Chad radio in back-up. "The police are already on their way, just keep your hands up and we'll have no issues." Ichigo warned them.

It was in this brief moment that one man, young around the age of twenty-two, started to breathe hard. He was trembling and sweating, blinking his eyes and desperation entered his soul, his eyes that it carved itself in Ichigo's memories.

While most looked nervous but willing to corporate the one on the left, nearest to Ichigo was having his own panic attack. Looking around fretfully, muttering to himself and Ichigo needed to tell him to calm down. The human man, no older than twenty-two, saw the life he worked so hard to achieve flash before his eyes and he realized he couldn't get arrested.

He was short, brown hair and brown eyes, Ichigo didn't know why but he suddenly saw Rukia for a single instant. The young man, shaking and breathing heavy blinked repeatedly. He then glanced at the table, at the gun that laid there. Unmoved and undisturbed, looking cool with its steel skin. "Calm down, sir." Ichigo said once more but the man instead charged, getting the gun that was on the table and aimed it. Ichigo's eyes widen as he yelled, "Don't you dare–"

The man saw his solution there and dove for it, slamming himself onto the table and falling onto the ground before scrabbling to his feet.

Ichigo's mind reacted to the sudden dive that man did but his body didn't.

He held it in his hand steadily as he looked up back at Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida.

"Put the gun down." Ishida said.

"You don't want to make any mistakes, now do you?" Chad reasoned, "Put the gun down and put your hand on your head."

The young man shook his head and a tear escaped his eye. "I-I," He stuttered, "don't wa-want this. I don't want this!"

A single click was made, an explosion that echoed, a burst of flames came soon after. The trigger was pulled; the man's finger squeezed it firmly, wanting it to end. The bullet flew from its container, hitting flesh, going through the bone and exiting out easily. The sound the gun made when it went off was loud, halting everyone's breath in the room and the eerie stillness that followed afterwards settled on them like a dense hands over their ears.

The thud of a body hitting the floor brought breaths into everyone that was still alive as blood streamed freely from the head wound.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I need to thank you," Kenpachi said as he carried his daughter in his arm. Only four days had passed since the meeting and Yachiru being released from custody. The Others Russian representative, after much convincing from Yamamoto, was released but not allowed to enter China ever again. Kenpachi shrugged his shoulders at them and told them to piss off before marching into a portal that led him to Japan.

"I say we celebrate with Trotsky!" Kenpachi barked in laughter as he flipped his daughter up right and placed her on his broad shoulder.

Rukia looked up at the large man and gave a small smile, "I am not a drinker, but thank you for the offer, and there is no need for thanking me, I was happy to help Yachiru."

"Which is why I must thank you," Kenpachi patted his daughter's head, "She's the only person I give a shit about in this fucked up world." He looked over at Rukia; she was wearing a grey, tight, strapless dress and white heels. Long hair swept aside and she wore white gloves, and she nodded, "You're on my list then."

"List?"

"As a reward for the kindness you showed my daughter and I, I'll put you on my list of people I give a shit about…which is a total of two: you and my kid here!" He laughed louder and ruffled Rukia's poised hair as he walked towards the door. "If you need help, I'll be in mother Russia!"

Rukia, petting her messy hair down, wondered out loud what was wrong with Kenpachi, "Should I be worried?" Renji could only muffle his own amusement at the scene that was presented in front of him.

"This would've been more hilarious if your pop was here to see this!" He finally let his body vibrate as laughter escaped him, "Too bad he went back to the States!"

Rukia frowned at him and finally smoothed her hair down. She sat down on the bench and practiced playing the piano as she originally was doing before Kenpachi barged in to pick up his daughter who was playing with Renji.

She tugged her dress down gently, cursing at the shortness but said nothing. She was dressed to attend the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra later tonight with Renji as her overseer–Ichigo cancelled last minute. Since her father left a week ago she expected to go in his place, and her appearance reflected her father's reputation.

Quietly, she got the ribbon she was using before and pulled her hair up in a bun, she liked her hair long but sometimes she felt it got in the way. Her hand reached for her glasses and smoothly placed her glasses on her face, and set her nimble fingers on the keys and played.

Renji's laughter died away and he watched Rukia play, he leaned back on the sofa and decided it would better if he laid down on it completely. He closed his eyes and remembered the days when Rukia and he were younger, how they spent most evenings like this.

Steaming hot chocolate set aside by the maid after they just got scolded for pulling some pranks. As time passed on, from the age of five to the age of eight, Rukia got better at playing the piano, he got better at napping when she practiced, and they got better at pulling pranks.

The best prank he believed they pulled was when Rukia was seven. Somehow in Rukia's twisted mind, she came up with the prank of placing one of her maids who was passed out from having too much to drink in the hospital room, getting a make-up artist to make her and a fellow maid to look old, and then have the fellow maid pretend that the drunk maid was in a coma for forty years.

It was hilarious and they both got grounded for two months.

Rukia's teacher got stricter after that stunt as well.

Then, Rukia was gone for two years and he saw her again when she was ten and he was of course older than her. When she saw him again, she led him back to the room and practiced the piano and he slept in the midst of it, it was as if nothing changed.

This was their moment, something that belonged only to them and even after so many years, it was a routine for both of them.

"This is going to stop one day, huh?"

Rukia kept playing, "Will it?"

Renji shifted and covered his eyes, "Don't think Ichigo is going to like you spending time alone with your childhood friend everyday…just to do this. He might think you're cheating or something…Rukia?" He looked over at her, blushing at the words he just said.

"It is strange to think that one day this will stop, I love these moments with you, and I felt so relaxed whenever I spent time with you like this. But everything changes with time, and these moments don't relax me as much as it used to. I still love them and cherish them.

"Although, I believe that even if this does not happen every day like it has been for the past few years, it will happen whenever I see you, Renji." Rukia stopped and glanced over her shoulder, smiling at him, "This is our thing, Renji. Even if I am with Ichigo, this moment where I play and you sleep, it is ours."

Renji smiled; he felt tears prickled his eyes lids as he nodded his head and covered his eyes again. He doesn't dare say anything and Rukia began to play again, and the sweet notes she played soon lulled him to sleep.

As she played she looked out the window, seeing the sunset and she wondered where Ichigo was. Usually he was with her by this time and it was even weirder that he wasn't since he knew she was going out.

Rukia stopped her playing and turned around, staring at the door as she heard heavy footsteps approaching it.

"What is going on?"

* * *

**What is going on? Hmm, you guys have to wait until next month. :]**

**Please review, it'll take 10 seconds but it will mean a lot to me. I hope it was enjoyable for you guys and lots of love. See you next month!**


	35. Chapter 34

**So, here's the next chapter and I hope everyone will enjoys it!  
I want to thank my beta-readers for everything they done for me. **

**To everyone that reviewed for me, thank you so much. Your support really moves me and if wasn't for you guys I would have stopped writing this fic to start working on my own book. **

**I won't quit this fic, I will work on it until the very end. :]**

**This is one of my favorite chapters, I really love the settings and toubles going about here. **

**Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter 34**_

_**March 19**__**th**_

_**I Am Someone**_

_Remember everything I taught you, Miss Rukia. Your actions, appearance, and future suitors are the best way for you to bring honor to your family! Do not mess this up for your father, you are a symbol of the Kuchiki and nothing else._

_"Cheers!"_

_ The collect sound of glasses chiming against one another ringed throughout the garden soirée. There were low drifting lanterns, dim lighting gave a romantic feeling to the party, there was gold fairy dust hovering in the air, and long white fabric hanging from tree to tree. Then, long buffet tables with long white table cloths covering the surface, and many round tables with gold rusting bird cages that held floating lit candles inside were about as Others laughed and socialized. _

_ As awkward as he felt dressed in layers after layers of fabric, making him look more like a wizard. His robes was layers of dark browns and blacks going down to his feet, a sewed on symbol of the Kuchiki tree, slopes of white curved designs, and light armored. All in all, he felt completely out place. _

"_Go look for my daughter," Byakuya Kuchiki said in a low voice, fixing the long, thick scarf he had around his neck. _

_Renji, the only human from the real world, looked up petrified and nervous, "Umm…"_

"_Do I need to repeat myself?"_

"_Of course not, Mr. Kuchiki!" Renji, merely nineteen, ran away. He almost tripped over his loose trousers as he moved away from the garden soirée and went deeper into the mystical forest where he last seen Rukia. _

_There were small fairy tale creatures that watched in the shadows as he ran from the clearing. He looked up to the sole crescent moon and moved faster until he reached the small cliff where he left her. _

"_Rukia!" He yelled to the sky. Leave it to the daughter of a nobleman to sneak off during a party to fly on a borrowed broomstick "Rukia!"_

"_Hey," From behind he heard the soft thud of her landing "Is my father looking for me?"_

"_Of course he is!" Renji turned and screamed at her, "God, he gave me the most terrifying look ever. If he knew what you were doing–"_

"_I know. I know," Rukia sighed softly and tilt her head to the side, "Let us go then."Renji nodded and went ahead of her slightly, leading them back to the soirée. She scolded herself as she walked behind Renji, calling herself many names and how she embarrassing her father. There was only one thing she was to the Kuchiki family, only one way to bring pride and honor to the Kuchiki name and that was being a marriageable, young lady. _

"Not even thirty minutes into the party and I already brought shame upon my father_," Rukia's thought echoed as they entered the clearing once more._

"_There she is," Byakuya beckoned Rukia to come over, "This is my daughter, Rukia."Rukia curtsied, greeted, and asked them how they were this evening. _

_Those simple gestured won the man and his son over. _

"_I am very well, thank you for asking." The older man said to her and looked back to Byakuya, "She's extremely lovely…almost like a doll. Polite and gentle, and being your daughter she must be educated; a perfect lady from the Kuchiki household! Now in days, gentile women are harder to find."_

_Byakuya nodded his head and thanked him for the compliment, "Yes, Rukia's coming-out ball is being planned already."_

"_Is it?" The man laughed, "Don't forget to mail an invitation to my family! I possess a nephew who needs to find a proper woman to settle down with."_

_Rukia kept quiet and watched the two older men, she might as well not be there the way they were discussing about her. However, she did not make a sour face, roll her eyes in frustration, and allowed her mouth to retort. She talked when she was asked a question, nodded and gave short, graceful sentences. _

_Repeating the same words in her mind: poise, elegance, politeness, refinement, awareness. _

_This went on as he father introduced her to his associates, and before she knew it she gained the reputation of the ice beauty; very appropriate considering her father was known as the ice king. _

_Finally left alone Rukia wonder around the clearing, smiling to those she was just introduced to and kept away from eligible suitors like she was told to. Before long she found herself at the refreshment table, getting a cup of punch–the only non-alcoholic drink. _

_She wondered some more and then she heard, "That's a very nice dress," Rukia glanced down at her dress swiftly. It was a nude color dress leaning towards a vanilla tint, tight, being held from one shoulder and having a slant hem line that stopped at her feet. There was flowers littering it, dust of sparkles and Rukia noticed that she never actually looked at her dress as she was putting it on. _

"_Oh, how rude am I? Can I ask for your name?"The voice said once again. _

"Can?_" Rukia thought as she turned and saw a brightly lit face of a woman, long chestnut curls swept the side. She was dressed in a light pink dress with soft layers of ruffles of the same pink color and purple. The dress was feminine, light and airy, fitting this woman's soft aura. _

"_Rukia Kuchiki, a pleasure to meet you. May I acquire who you are?"_

_The woman paused and smiled, "Rukia…that's such a lovely name."Brushing hair out of her eyes the woman introduced herself, "Hello, I'm Kurosaki Masaki! Oh, excuse me, Masaki Kurosaki, I keep forgetting we're not in Japan." She chirped as she grabbed and shook Rukia's hand. _

_Rukia, as a naive sixteen year old, fell in love with the woman. _

_She was a burst of refreshing, pink citrus mist. _

"_Ah," She looked closer and her smile widen, "you're eyes...they're very pretty."_

"Pretty…what a simple word_," Rukia thought and her small frown turned into a smile. "You looked very lovely as well, Mrs. Kurosaki."_

"_Oh please! Call me Masaki!" She grinned at her and went to ruffle Rukia's hair and caught herself, "Oh, I'm sorry. It's a habit you see," Her hand retreated from Rukia's hair, leaving the Kuchiki heiress confused, "I have kids, three, and I'm always ruining their hair…for the fun of it! Even if my son, he's twenty-one, complains about it constantly…oh! Sorry, I'm rambling again."_

"_Masaki!" A voice boomed in their direction and in one blink, the woman in front of her was engulfed in two large arms. The man cried, saying how his wife left him all alone and that he was very lonely as he was talking to Byakuya._

_She laughed it off and noticed the surname, "Oh, were you speaking to Rukia's father?" She looked over at Rukia, "He is your father, right?"_

"_Rukia?" The husband looked over at the young Rukia and grinned wildly at her, "Rukia-chan!" He burst and grabbed her in a hug as well, shocking Rukia beyond belief. "You're so cute! How would you like to become my daughter-in-law? Masaki! Can you image the adorable babies she and Ichigo can have?"_

"_Now, now, Isshin put the girl down, you're frightening her!" Masaki chastised, "Really! I have never seen you do this before!"_

"_I have a feeling!"_

"_I'm sorry for my husband, Rukia." Masaki apologized and glared at her husband, "What 'feeling?'"_

"_That she's one the one for him."_

"_Don't be silly; how would you know?" Masaki looked back at Rukia who still was nursing her ribs, "My husband is a werewolf, he _always _have these feelings. Look what you did!" Masaki went back to speaking with her husband, "you hurt her! Apologize!"_

_Isshin, in a very normal tuxedo compared to everyone else, smiled and bowed, "I'm very sorry. I just get very excited, very easily Rukia-chan."_

_Rukia looked back and forth from the two of them, she felt the pressure of tears wanting to form and she asked them, "Do you know who I am?" They both looked surprised and nodded, repeating her name, "You know I am a Kuchiki, and since you were talking to my father you know who he is…what are you two doing? Treating me to informal, as if I am not a lady from the Kuchiki household?"_

_This time Isshin laughed and Masaki chuckled. Rukia felt embarrassed but her pride refused to let her walk away in shame. Masaki was the first to sober as her husband bounced off, screaming for someone to take their picture. Masaki smiled softly and actually ruffled Rukia's hair completely, "You, Rukia-chan, are a teenager. You're not a lady yet and you're not just a Kuchiki…you're Rukia-chan. A girl that can make many facial expressions…I can read your thoughts very clearly on your face." She poked Rukia's forehead as Isshin came back with a photographer, she was pulled in and suddenly a flash of light passed over her eyes. The picture was taken and the photographer left with a smile of his own._

_Rukia's shame and embarrassment died down and she asked, in an almost amazed voice that shook slightly "I am not just a Kuchiki…?"_

~o~o~o~o~o~

"So?" Tatsuki sat behind her desk, tapping her foot impatiently, growing more annoyed when Ichigo lit another cigarette. "What happened?" Ichigo, uninterested in having this discussion looked out the window until Tatsuki growled out, "While you're my _beta_, Ichigo, you are not an officer anymore! What you did was stupid and not in your range anymore!"

"Do not raise your voice at me, pup! While I'm not an officer anymore, I'm still your _beta_ and you are still my subordinate!" Ichigo's tone was stern, unmoved by what she said, "What I did was not under police order but order of the Others, it's not my fault your squad of policemen didn't respond fast enough to get involved."

Ichigo did feel a bit bad that he was lying to his childhood friend, but he did not want to deal with this right now.

Tatsuki bowed her head as she naturally cringed at what he said and the tone he used, "Forgive me."

"Kurosaki!" Ishida ran inside in office, "You were right, it was a distraction."

"Fuck!"

"The building was attacked, all destroyed. The workers…killed"

"What was a distraction, what was destroyed, who died!" Tatsuki asked.

"The humans, they were a distraction." Ichigo cursed some more and punched the wall, making a hole in the wall.

"I don't understand."

"What's tonight?" Ishida asked, staring at Tatsuki who looked confused, "What happens tonight that are important to werewolves?" He then stressed.

"Full moon!" Ichigo barked, "The full moon is tonight and the fuckers destroyed the meds for us and the scientists!"

"What?" Tatsuki jumped from her seat, "without the medicine werewolves will lose control under the full moon!"

"We need to tell my father–"

"Done, I sent Chad to tell you father, Kurosaki." Ishida pushed his glasses up, "How much medicine do we have right now?"

"Not enough," Ichigo huffed, "this afternoon was supposed to be distribution of the meds for the pack…" Ichigo clenched his fist and thought hard. This was bad for them. Without the medicine werewolves couldn't withstand the swaying motion of the moon and they would become beasts; hunting humans and Others alike, eating them until the moon dies down. It was too fucking dangerous, especially now with the humans watching their every move.

"We need the stronger werewolves to go without the pill and stick them in cells. Including me and the old man, we've made it through the full moon without the meds more than once." Ichigo said turning to Tatsuki who stood there, "What are you waiting for? Go!" Ichigo barked at her.

She ran out the room, already calling other werewolves to heed her orders. Ichigo looked at Ishida, "The humans?"

"All arrested but all were under a spell. They don't know why they were trying to bomb us, I got a wizard to confirm it and it's true."

"The factory?"

"There's nothing, no medicine at all. How much back-ups are there?"

"Little over forty; we'll have enough if some members have their own meds at home but…that's really unlikely." Ichigo tensely looked outside, seeing the sun starting to set, "And we have no fucking time."

"Kurosaki," Ishida pushed his glasses up, "We need to get you locked up."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Okay, everyone's locked up, the cells secured and the rest of the pack already took their medicine." Isshin stared passed the bars of the door, the figure on the other side huffed in annoyance.

"Just in time," He said, "It's nine already and three members already turned to werewolves."

The _Alpha_ nodded his head and looked down the long hall of cells, when he was doing final check-ups before being locked up himself, he noticed three pack members already transformed into their were form. Isshin knocked against the metal door that was between him and his son, nodding at the solid sound it made.

"Rukia?"

"She went out with Abarai to that orchestral event."

"Oh…did she?" Ichigo mumbled and Isshin, with his excellent hearing, laughed at his son. If it wasn't for this incident Ichigo would be going out with Rukia instead of her childhood friend. "Shut it, old man and lock him up, Tatsuki."

The female werewolf nodded her and directed her _Alpha _to a vacant cell. Locking him up for the night, nervously asking, "What should I do if something happened tonight? Both Ichigo and you are locked up…"

"They wouldn't dare to pull something tonight," Ichigo said, pulling out the cigarette from his jacket packet, "It's too obvious. It's more likely they want us to attack each other, or create a mess so we would be the ones to blame."

"He's right," Isshin said before asking Ichigo for a cigarette. Some times their heighten sense of smelling was a curse, he could smell every pack member in here and he was debating if he should make it a regulation to bathe every day. Fuck, it stunk in here. "You just patrol the streets with Chad, Abarai is with Rukia-chan, and Ishida is watching out for her as well. The only thing we need to worry about is each other."

Isshin stepped into his own cell and heard the loud thud of it closing behind him. The keys jingled and the lock was in place.

Tatsuki checked the door and said, "I'll be leaving now."

"Careful out there," Isshin said.

"Tatsuki," Ichigo called out, holding his cell phone and cursing that there were no signal, "Check on Rukia for me, will you?"

The female werewolf frowned but nodded her head, "Got it."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The thundering sounds of hands meeting one another were loud, echoing throughout the room. Rukia's own hands were clapping as well, but only half-heartedly. The symphony the orchestra played was amazing, worthy of the audience's claps.

It was Rukia who was the problem.

Her mind wasn't focus; she was more concern with Ichigo. Ishida had told her that Ichigo had an important case going on, and that he didn't have time to communicate with her because of it. She called him twice and refused to call him a third time.

She glanced at her side, Renji had fallen asleep in the first five minutes of arrival and she wanted to kick him awake. Sighing as another piece was beginning to be played; Rukia reasoned that she shouldn't take her frustration with Ichigo out on Renji.

So, she kept quiet and continued to listen, they began to play Brahms' Symphony no. 3. Near the end of the second movement her stomach twisted into a knot, and she glanced around. Someone was watching her; she felt their eyes on her. This time she kicked Renji awake, scaring the sleeping red head as his eyes looked around in alarm. "What? Who got hurt? Who do I need to shoot?"

"Is that really the first things that comes to mind," Rukia whispered and kicked him again as he blushed and rubbed his knee.

"Well…what's up?"

"Do you not feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"We are being watched," She whispered, "I do not know from where or from whom."

Renji quieted down and relaxed, unwind his muscles and allowed the energy around him to come to him. Like being stung by a bee, the sharp pierce of eyes prickled him behind his neck. Confused, he looked behind him, they were after all in a theater box.

"Rukia…"

She was staring at the stage, at the musicians in their uniforms weren't on the stage when they played their music. Mixture of focus and enjoyment struggled on their expression as deep breathes filled their bodies. Their hands straining against their instrument, fingers played across strings and notes. It became different to decipher what was an instrument and who was a musician.

She heard the third movement begin, the longing melody tugged at her heart, whisking her away from the theater box. She was surrounded with divine colors, abstract images that were fluid and unyielding.

The images in her head then slope together, aligning into a path. It curved and coil, and she was walking down it or at least she thought she was. Rukia couldn't see her feet or any part of her body. It was lone, bare and white, and then the path bow and curling out of the ground, growing vast and aging rapidly a tree stood.

It was fairly tall and thick, she couldn't even see the top and the width was astounding. This tree was monumental, a colossal figure that made her gasp as she looked up. There was vine dangling from the branches, green leaves were full and dense.

Then, the bulging roots smoothed out, and swept aside in the new space appeared a talisman. An emblem of a sun etched on it, dirt and leaves covering it slightly before the whole image snapped and shattered.

It was her name that brought her back to the theater box and as she turned to face her childhood friend a hand reached out. It was too quick for her to react; the shadow of a hand grasped her head and with much force, propelled her against the wall. She was unconscious before she even landed on the floor.

"Ruk–" The hand that knocked Rukia out swung out and punched Renji in the stomach.

Then, grabbing Renji by the shirt the owner of the hand appeared. It was the pink-hair espada who was smiling at Renji. "Now, there's no need to cause a scene."

"What are you–"

"Message." The espada said, "Seems like boss man was caught off guard; so, there's a change of plans." Renji was completely confused by who the Espada was talking about, who was _he_? The Espada whipped out his other hand, between two fingers laid an envelope; he slipped the envelope into Renji's hand, waited until red head grasped it. "You two are the only people who are allowed to know what the message says, if anyone finds out– and we'll know if anyone finds out–we'll start gutting your love ones…in front of you two.

"Now," The espada let go of Renji who slid on to the floor, "Wake the bitch up and read the message with her."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Rukia?" Renji's voice was nothing more than a wisp of wind. They left immediately after being confronted with the Espada and were walking side by side for more than three hours. Rukia had a cotton pad taped on her head from where she was hit, her temple repeatedly burst with pain and she tried her best to ignore it.

In her hands she clutched the letter given by the Espada like it was her lifeline, the machine in a hospital that was keeping her alive, beeping to indicate her heart was still beating.

"My life was stolen from me before it began, and I do not even know whom the thief was." Rukia turned around, "I want to know who was preventing my past lives from living…and now I am afraid to find out the truth. However, I know I must find out, I need to know and even if I do die again trying…in another life I might actually live."

The fisted hands unraveled, presenting the crumbled letter that was opened. "Everything's going to change again, huh, Rukia?" Renji knew what was inside the envelope; he read it with her and saw the pictures presented inside. She said nothing and Renji knew there was nothing that he could say that could remedy this new tragedy. "I'll be by your side, Rukia until this whole ordeal is over. After all, we're the 'Paint Partner Criminal' until the end."

She looked up at him, her eyes still glaze over with bleakness and resolve and soft snort left her. "You still remember that?"

"Of course, it's not like every day you hear about two kids painting an entire home red in one night."

"We called ourselves the 'Paint Partner Criminal' and then soon after we were caught."

"Even after we were caught, we still didn't admit into doing that prank; because I was there for you and you were there for me."

This time she laughed and shook her head, "We were such bad children."

"Really? I thought we were hella interesting."

Rukia went back to walking, heading to the hotel where they could get a night rest. The next twenty four hours were going to be strenuous. "I feel bad."

"About what?

Rukia glanced up at him, "For always dragging you along with me, as children, teens, and now as young adults. I have taken so much of your time already."

"It's alright, you're my childhood friend…I won't leave you alone even if you asked me to."

Rukia pulled the letter out again, read the content of it and observe the innocent pictures inside the envelope. "_What was I thinking?_" She got out her wand and at the tip a single spark of fire came to life. She burnt the envelope with the letter and pictures inside of it. The envelope floated on top of the tip of her wand, burning away the secret. Then, in a gust of wind the envelope that was nothing but crisp black tissue with ember pockets floated away.

As it left she gave a small smile, "_Ah…I was thinking about him._" Renji placed his hand on her shoulder; it almost felt that he was keeping her from floating away with the burnt envelope.

"I really want to cry."

"I won't judge you if you do."

A smile from her gave him reassurance as she shook her head, "I will not cry, at least not yet." They continued to walk, getting closer to the _Supra Natural_, only a few more steps and they would enter the hotel.

Rukia said in a small voice, "I think I am going to go see Ichigo."

"That'll be the best thing to do…I'm sorry."

Rukia then chuckled sadly, "There is no reason for you to apologize because you have not done anything wrong."

"I still want to say 'sorry' though, you've gone through all this bullshit and when things seemed to get better…it all goes to shit again."

"Now you are trying to make me cry."

"I won't judge you if you do," He repeated.

"I will not cry, at least not yet," She repeated.

"Will you judge me if I cry?"

"Never."

They entered the hotel and Rukia waved him goodbye as he enter the elevator to go up to his room. In the confinement of the metal walls, the slow dings of the elevator Renji leaned against the corner where the camera was set and sank to his knees.

Anger tears welled out of him, he never wished before to be more than he was. He wished he was stronger, an Others, noticed this sooner, and that this wasn't happening to her just like he wished his father illness wasn't slowly killing him.

Gradually he has been moving on from his love and while it still hurts that he wasn't the one for her, he came to terms that she wasn't the one for him. However, he still loved her and he knew about pain, being found in the dumpster by the homeless as a new born and being in foster care for many years. Wondering why him? Why his mother didn't want him? Why couldn't she at least left him on the porch of a door, at the hospital, or even attempt to make sure he was taken well care of?

Those years of hoping his foster family would love him and want to keep him, to only have them shake their head and pass him along like an unloved pet. Those years, as young as he was, were the most freshness memories he could already recall.

Then, in the pit of the darkness one of the happiest moments came and he was adopted by an elderly man who was a friend of the last foster family he was with. His father worked for the Kuchiki's and was a favorite employer of the mistress of the household.

After many years, he was given love that he envied when he saw the happy families on the streets. Then, at the same time, he gained the friend he always wanted. His father, her family became the center of the world for him. He was there and felt the pain when Rukia's mother died. She was there and felt the pain with his father died.

They might not become what he wanted them to become but they were always sibling by bonds.

He was gasping for air, his cheeks streaming with tears and he wondered what he could do. He could see the weight of stress on her lone figure, pressing her down to her hands and knees. It was painful to watch someone you care so much for, someone you were willing to trade your life to save them slowly die away and not even fight it anymore.

It was something beautiful and tragic to witness.

Accepting one's fate.

Renji, as he got up when the elevator doors opened to his floor and he left the metal room, wished that he was at least stronger than fate.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Kuchiki-san!" Rukia jumped at the sudden shout of her name and saw Tatsuki running to her, "I've been looking for you everywhere! Ishida's been looking for you everywhere! I have pack members looking for you! Where were you!"

Rukia mouth opened and then shut, unsure as to how to respond. "Um…I went for a walk with Renji. I did as I was told, stay close to Renji and obviously that is not enough. Do you have members watching me all the time now?"

"Not mine idea," Tatsuki reasoned, "The _Alpha's_." Rukia grumbled but said nothing more about that topic instead she asked where Ichigo was. "He's not in there and he's not at home either."

"Then where is he?"

"He–along with fifteen other pack members–are locked up because the factory–that was suppose to provide us with medicine to prevent werewolves from losing their minds and becoming beast–was destroyed." Tatsuki then sighed and turned around, "I was suppose to report to him on your whereabouts more than two hours ago but since I couldn't find you I couldn't report to him."

"Then I cannot see him?"

"No, you can't. I was told to find you, check on you but that's all. I'll make this report to Ichigo then. It would be best that you go the bed and wait to see Ichigo tomorrow.

"You are right, that would be best." Rukia gave a quick smile, strain and stiff. A curt nod and she was off towards the elevator. She pressed the button, hearing the ding after ding as it headed back down. Rukia heard Tatsuki walk away, grumbling about something when the door finally opened and Rukia stepped in.

The elevator went up, Rukia exit and headed straight to her room. She entered swiftly, locked the door behind her and went to the desk. In the lone drawer sat two items, a notebook and a pen. Rukia lit the candle on the desk with magic and began to write.

In extreme detail she wrote down her thoughts, not personal but work related thoughts. Her sudden vision, what she believed it connected to and what it could mean. The "Glass Orb" official having a name, the talismans, the keys, she connected them all in webs of thoughts. Stringing them together and having them stuck closely to one another.

There was no mention of Ichigo, of the _Llave Negro del Destino_, the _Alpha_, Renji, Ashido, Kenpachi and his daughter, Urahara and so forth.

Unohana, she was there, Aizen and Mayuri, Rukia placed them in her notebook for they were killed because of the "Glass Orb" and the Espadas.

This notebook represented her work, it represented the meaning of her life.

Without it, Rukia was confident that she would have gone insane from the stress already.

She stopped the sweep movements of her pen, she stared at her handwriting until it became nothing but abstract lines of nonsense. She held her head and gave a loud sigh, "Maybe I am already mad…."

Shutting the notebook, she went over the mirror and pulled out her wand. Frowning intensely, she suddenly felt anger and whisked her wand and her reflection disappeared.

"Hope he does not mind visitors."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Tatsuki drove to the outskirt of the city to an abounded building: three floors, no windows except for the large entrance ones, and there was only one lone car in the parking lot. Getting out of the car the young werewolf looked up at the moon, it was past midnight already and there was only couple of hours left until sunrise.

"Come on, sunlight." She whispered and walked briskly to building, entering a door that opened to a waiting room. Behind a counter was a security guard named Ogawa Michiru who greeted Tatsuki. She was another pack member, short brown hair and large brown eyes. She was in charge of watching the cameras in every cell room in the building and making sure that no one but pack members or council members enter the building during her shift.

The security guard opened a cabinet and fished out a radio and handed to the older werewolf. There was beep, a click and then a voice. "Ichigo, Tatsuki here. I found her, she's at the hotel going to bed. Anything else I can do?"

There was a pause, "Did she ask about me?"

Tatsuki scoffed and rolled her eyes, making Michiru laugh, "Yes, your mate asked for you and looked rather disappointed that she couldn't see you."

Ichigo smiled at his end and felt a happy flutter inside of him, clearing his throat Ichigo barked at her, "Now...just check the pack out. Go door to door; I don't care if you wake them up, just do a check up."

"Got it," The voice said over the radio and it died out.

"You're becoming a good leader, Ichigo." On the other side of the wall Isshin voice filtered through.

"It's expected," Ichigo said in a gruff voice.

The air was warm, dense and heavy almost as if they were in Florida during a hot, summer day. It was noisy, louder than they expected. There were growls, howls, barks, yapping, scratching and bodies launching themselves against cell doors.

They could all hear it even if they were on the third floor.

There was a sigh and a small growl, "You two are extremely loud, I'm trying to read." A female voice came from one of the cell, crisp and clean. "I don't want to listen to this father-son talk or you gushing over your mate, Ichigo-san. You're becoming like your father."

"Hey! We're nothing alike!" They both yelled and then growled at each other.

"Of course not," The woman with a thin face and black hair looked through to the bars, frowning angrily. "Tell me, what's the full name of your mate, Ichigo-san?"

"Kuchiki Rukia," He answered smoothly.

She repeated the name twice in her mind and once out loud. "Such a pretty name…I met her this evening, before she went out. It would be a shame if anything would happen to our future _luna_."

Ichigo suddenly tensed, snarling at her, "Are you trying to say something, _delta_?"

The woman named Kunieda Ryō gave a small quirk of a smile and bowed her head, "Sorry, I forgot my place, just in a bad mood since I can't finish my book…sorry for the interruption …_beta_."

There was a crunching sound from her cell, a howl was heard and a pained scream. The _delta _just turned into a werewolf and she was making an awful amount of noise. Ichigo and Isshin and two other werewolves in the second level were the last to be in human form.

"Don't think she likes you," Isshin said once the _delta_ transformed fully.

"Don't care."

"Hey…give me a cigarette. It stinks like shit here."

Ichigo reached and handed his father the rolled up, white stick through the bars, "It's probably you, old man."

"Tell me how the case went," a pause, "You know, the one Tatsuki-chan got angry at you."

"Ah…it went fine."

"Don't lie to me, boy. I'm your father, I know you well enough that something happened," Ichigo puffed smoke out and ignored the sounds of wild werewolves, saying it was nothing. Isshin allowed the cigarette to hang from his lips, letting the smell burn his nostrils. "I saw it. It was in your eyes."

"I…just felt reality punch me in the face and stomach." Ichigo rubbed his temple and felt a soft tremble from beneath him, however was in the cell under him was really rowdy.

"How so? I always thought you had a good grip on reality even since you met Rukia-chan."

"Never!" Ichigo barked loudly suddenly, causing the transformed werewolves in the other cells to suddenly whimper. "I saw her kill herself! I saw it when that man shot himself, saying, 'I didn't want this' in such a miserable voice but still having that fucking smile on his face! I pictured her saying those same exact words…she was so vivid in my mind.

"I saw it. It was her instead of that man and I stood there, helpless. Not able to do anything as the trigger was pulled and she was gone. I can't…lose her," Ichigo choked out, "I can't."

Isshin listened to his son, remembering those feelings as well when he had Masaki. "They say…love is the most powerful force in the universe, but I don't buy it. In fact, I think it's bull shit. " Isshin threw this cigarette on to the ground, seeing the lit ember slowly die out. "The most powerful thing in the whole universe is 'will power,' 'determination.' How far are you willing to go to get what you want. Rukia-chan…she's determined to save the world, and you're determined to save her. Ichigo, don't let your…" Isshin slid to the floor of his cell, his vision getting hazy, "don't let you determination sway from your path."

The sweet persuasion of the moon luring them into nature became too strong and Ichigo fell backwards, drenched in sweat and looked up at the ceiling. He thought of what his father said, 'determination' and 'will power.' He had that inside of him, he smiled slight as he thought of Rukia.

Logic slipped him as he felt bones crash and melt, organs get rearrange and his body began to be placed back together.

Ichigo lost all senses as he heard his father's commanding howl. There was another slam, the crushing of Ichigo's body to the metal wall. Growls and snarls coming from within and then a loud howl came from him. It caused the rest of the werewolves in the cells, in the entire building to howl as well.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"This is highly inappropriate, Rukia-san." The young nymph stood in the middle of Yamamoto's hotel room, the old dragon was already in bed but now was sitting up. "Young women, especially mated, should not be in a room with a man. Rumors can spread."

"Luckily for me, I do not really care for rumors. However, I am here at your fault. I am following mere orders you have gave."

"What orders are those?"

"You told me to inform you when I have a vision of the next talisman." Rukia cross her arms, "I had a vision, I came to tell you–as instructed–and I want to leave as soon as I finish describing to you what I saw."

"Then please," Yamamoto leaned against the bed frame, "Don't let my surprise at your visit stop you." He watched her carefully, "Besides your vision, there is something more you want to tell me, isn't there?"

Rukia kept a stern face, eyes then soften as she walked towards a chair. She didn't sit however; she stood by it and studied the careful patterns. She told the old dragon of her vision, in detail and she explained that the tree was in the realm of magic, not in the human world.

"Are you going to look for it?"

"No, I simply know it is in the realm of magic and I cannot search the entire realm of magic for a tree. It would be impossible."

"Then you're going to wait?"

"Yes…until something in the universe forces me to find it, I will not look for it."

"Spoke like a well groomed Kuchiki."

"Are you insulting me?"

"No, but you took it as an insult," Yamamoto smoothed his beard, "Now, what is the _other_ think you wish to tell me."

She paused and played with her fingers. Why was speaking this much harder than saying it? She accepted it mentally but felt that was unprepared emotionally. Nevertheless, she spoke, "A spell is going to be placed on me…and nothing will be able to reverse it." Yamamoto looked undisturbed by what she said and while she tried her best to seem impassive and emotionless a single tear fell from her eye. "Everything I will lose I want you to make sure it stays lost."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Inoue didn't know what to say when she saw the panting Ishida entered the waiting room for the _Supra Natural_. He had a light sheet of sweat on him as his eyes darted around, almost looking for someone. It was almost as he didn't see her and went straight to the elevator but he paused and turned around.

He walked up to her and asked, "Inoue-san, you've been here all night, right?"

"Um…yes," Inoue answered.

"Rukia-san, did she come here?"

Inoue's mood suddenly dampened but she nodded, "Yes, she came here talked to Tatsuki-chan a bit before going to her room."

Ishida sagged and gave a sigh of relief, "Oh thank Gods."

"Um," Inoue fidgeted slightly, "W-was there a problem?"

Ishida then frowned fiercely, "Rukia-san has the habit of leaving without saying anything, I've been looking for her for the past three hours."

"And you didn't call anyone for help?"

"No!" Ishida blushed, "Well…my pride didn't let me. I-I wanted to find her first since she was in my care and all."

Inoue smiled and laughed, "It's fine to be prideful sometimes, Tatsuki-chan always says if I was a symbol of the seven sins I would be gluttony." There was a pause as she gave a snorted laugh to herself, "Since I'm always hungry!"

"Is…is that so?" Ishida suddenly felt more flustered as he saw an opportunity displayed before him. He could do this, it would be simple and she was there, in front of him, looking all pretty in her white blouse and warm brown eyes.

"It's getting late, Ishida-kun." She said softly, "It would be best to leave and catch up on some sleep, you look tired."

"I will!" He shouted, surprising the both of them as he apologize for the sudden outburst. Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose and played with his hands, "Inoue-san?"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if…if you're not busy later on if you would l-like to have some…coffee?" Ishida asked.

Inoue looked lost as the question but she inclined her head and gave a smile as she nodded, "I like coffee."

"Great! S-so when are you free?"

"The day after tomorrow, after work, I get off at six," She said and quickly added, "in the evening! Not in the morning," She blushed.

His heart thumped excitedly and he smiled widely at her, "That's…wonderful."He stood there, staring at her and she did the same. It wasn't until a guest walked through the doors that the spell wore off, making both even more embarrassed. "Then," Ishida began, playing with his hands some more, "I'll be waiting."

"Yeah…I will be too" Inoue blushed.

"Goodnight, Inoue-san."

"Night, Ishida-kun," She waved at him and went to help the new guest, but her eyes kept glancing over where he was waiting for the elevator and even after he left. "_A date_," She smiled at the thought, "_this is a sign, a good sign!_" Her grinned was large the more she thought about it, she was moving on. Never before had she accepted a date before, she was always waiting but now….

"Thank you for staying at the _Supra Natural_!" Inoue beamed at the guest as she handed him the keys to his room.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ichigo awoke staring at the ceiling, entirely confused as where he was and what he was doing. Groggily he sat up and held his pounding head, noticing that he was only wearing his torn up pants.

Behind him the door opened but fell as Tatsuki shook her head. Ichigo's strength, uncontained in his were form was extremely amazing. The female werewolf placed her hands on hips, "Come on, it's morning."

Shaking it off, Ichigo pushed himself up and walked out the door, seeing the rest of the upper head of the pack also looking shitty. His father looked pale and tired, his clothes soaked with sweat, "I need a beer." The _Alpha _growled. Isshin lasted for a couple more hours but ultimately turned to a werewolf as well and he actually escaped his cell.

"You can drink all you want once you get home, old man." Ichigo said. He and the rest of the locked up members sluggishly left the building, most turning into wolves and running home. Ichigo and Isshin left last, checking for last minute problems.

It was when he was about to go when Michiru, the security guard, went up to him and handed him a note. "From you mate. She sent a messenger bird…moments after your transformation." She said and bowed before leaving to lock up.

Ichigo looked down at the note, "The fuck is this?" Why would she leave a note, she could have told him whatever she wanted to before she left.

The note was in a code and there was a watermelon with an arrow that said "hint" beside it. The deadpan expression on his face didn't leave until he figured out the code and he read the four sentences on the paper:

Ichigo

I am at you home asleep.

When you arrive do not wake me up.

Rukia

He suddenly blushed and folded the paper, ignoring his father's pokes and demands to read what the note said. Ichigo quickly transformed into a wolf, the note hanged loosely from his teeth and ran home, excited that Rukia was there.

The orange lights with pink blush the sky as Ichigo raced home. There was barely anyone awake, mostly no one noticed the wild wolf as he ran and those who did simply thought it was a big dog.

He wondered if she would really be asleep or if she was planning something, it was always hard to tell when it came to Rukia. He heard similar steps behind him and glanced behind him to see his father; they ran together until Isshin stopped at his home and Ichigo rounded a corner and arrived to his a minute later.

He rounded the hedge that blocked the entrance of his home to outside viewers and changed back to his human form, he was naked but luckily he was hidden. Ichigo reached up to the side and lifted a rock from the ground. He turned the rock over and took the key hidden underneath.

The moment he opened the door her aroma surrounded him almost as if he was submerge in cool water, relaxing and soothing. He placed the note she left him on the side table where his keys and wallet were at and placed the copy of the house key back where he hid it. Ichigo closed the door, locking it after him as he followed her scent. He went upstairs, passed the vacant bedroom to the master bedroom.

The door was ajar and it was dark inside, he entered soundlessly as his vision adjusted to the low lights. Rukia's body was under the thin cover of his bed sheet, she was curled up and in a deep sleep. She looked extremely tired, almost like she was the one that slept on the floor and not he.

Ichigo brushed the hair on her face away. He liked coming home to her.

He walked towards his dresser and got a pair of boxers before he went to Rukia. Yawning, he looked over at the clock. It was half past six and Ichigo simply shrugged and lifted the covers of his bed. Rukia, suddenly disturbed from her sleep, turned herself around, having her backside facing him as she snuggled deeper into the mattress.

Presenting her backside to him, Ichigo smirked and lay down. He gathered her close and pressed her back against his chest. She was cold to the touch and quickly made a sound as adjusted herself against him and began to warm up.

Winter roses and orchids embraced him, her hand settled on top of his and ever so slowly, he fell asleep with her.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Awakening first, Rukia looked around the room in a confused daze, not being able to remember where she was. Moments before she awoke she felt lips on hers but it must be because she was extremely tired from last night. It was when she felt movement behind her, the pressure of a hand on her waist as she smelled a husky and sandalwood scent.

It then clicked for her: she was in Ichigo's house, in his room, sleeping in his bed.

What was she thinking?

Rukia had a heavy blushed on her face, "_Something must be wrong with me…I have never been this forward before_."

She sat up without disturbing Ichigo, his arm slipped from her waist to her hips. She felt the sudden chill and she wondered if it was because she wasn't in close contact with Ichigo, but when she looked down she saw that she was naked except for her panty…again.

"_This man_," She shook her heard at him.

Glancing around she saw Ichigo's dress shirt she was using dangling from Ichigo's side of the bed, near the top of his head. This wasn't the first time she slept with Ichigo and this was a habit she first discovered when she was spending time with him and she fell asleep. She discovered his habit of taking off their clothing while he slept, and when she asked he looked as lost as her and doesn't really know why.

He even said it could be from the heat his body made.

She was actually more curious as to why she never awoke to the movements of being undress.

Rukia perked a brow and began to formulate a plan to get the dress shirt, she doesn't want to wake Ichigo up since he must have had a rough night. "_If I get off the bed that will surely wake him up…I guess I just have to reach_."

The white dress shirt might as well be on the other side of the world, and Rukia almost felt that it was mission impossible. Gathering her strength, she balanced herself and reached, slowly moving a leg up and over Ichigo putting her in a position of straddling him.

Rukia rested herself on him, confident that he wouldn't wake up since she was getting closer to him. With a grin she reached one last time and grabbed the soft fabric, thinking she was in the clear.

"If this is how you're going to wake me up every morning, Rukia…I'm not going to complain." The roughness of his voice tangled with sleep halted her movements.

She closed her eyes and reopened them, shyly looking down at Ichigo. All she could see was the top of his head and all he could probably see were her perk breasts suspended above his face.

Her mouth was open but the lack formulating words upon her tongue failed her. She was trained to think on her toes with politics, debates, and news. Not on being caught topless as she tried to reach for a shirt.

"_Think of something, Rukia. Think of something._"

She was startled into awareness when his hands glided their way up her waist and a tender tip was caught in his warm mouth. "I-Ichigo! Y-you just had a long night and s-should be sleeping instead–"

He gave a rough suck on her beating red nub before he pulled away and flipped them over; Rukia still had the shirt in her hands as she looked up at Ichigo, "You are not tried?"

"A little bit, but I found something more desirable than sleep," The _beta _smirked and lowered himself, nibbling on the junction of her shoulder and neck.

"I-I hope you know," She struggled to say, "if you continue with…with these actions I will not let you rest until I am sa-satisfied."

"I'm here to please," His voice trembled slightly and he went for a kiss, it started out hard and demanding, but soon he felt the change. The kiss became an action of need and desperation, their arms wrapped around them, body pressed so tightly against one another.

It was maddening, addicting, and they craved for more.

Ichigo pressed against the tight opening and filled her completely. They broke apart for a second, gasping for air as they shivered against the sensation. She hugged him entirely, her womb tight and snug, their hips firmly against one another.

The thrusts were frantic, Rukia meeting every single push with her own. Each one had a hand against the headboard; Ichigo had his other hand on her hips while she had her hand entangled in his hair.

This was strange for both of them, never once did love making became so desperate, impulsive, and left them in a state of frenzied. Their lips were in a dedicated lip lock, only separating for gulps of air as their bodies kept moving.

In the driving force of their bodies, Ichigo and Rukia's emotions propelled into the air the more uncontrollable they became. They were both sweating profoundly, both unwilling to stop, and both vocalized their pleasure loudly.

The desperation became more apparent and Ichigo pulled free from the kiss. He gazed down at Rukia, her eyes catching his and tears began to leave him. Drops fell from him and onto Rukia's face, sliding down her cheeks as if she was the one crying.

"I-Ichigo. Ichigo!" Rukia reached out to him, concerned shined in her eyes and Ichigo promptly swept down to kiss her. She still felt the tears and tasted them through the kiss and the pain transmitted and was shared by the both of them when tears escaped Rukia's eyes.

Ichigo pressed his face against Rukia's neck and in a broken voice, strain and ragged, said, "As long…as you want me to, Rukia I will always–always look for you. I will always find you, Rukia."

She heard each word clearly and hot tears rushed down.

This sudden need to be one, this need to _know _that the other was there with them, this needto know that the other wasn't just a _dream_ robbed them of time and senses. They moved against each other like roaring tides, dancing a rash tango, filing one another of their essences.

Then, in a small damaged voice that Ichigo heard he caught her horsy and hushed question, "Promise?"

* * *

**I don't know about you other writers but love scenes always make me embarrass to write and have others read. Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are ready for the next chapters! I just finished chapter 37 and I would say I have about four or five chapters left. **

**So, please review and if some have not noticed the review button is adorable now. Look at it!******

**Review and see you next month!**

**Lots of love!**


	36. Chapter 35

**I want to thank everyone that reviews and to those that ALWAYS reviews my chapters. While I may not answer everyone personally I do want to say thank you. I am happy that I am writing a fic that is enjoyable and that my time here is not being wasted. **

**I want to be publish one day and I want a plot that draws my readers in. I am working hard to come up with better plots, characters with lawful development, better dialogue between characters (I feel I need to better myself on this area heavily), get my readers more emotionally involve, and not-so-easy solutions to major problems. **

**To all my readers and to those who review, thank you so much for the support. **

**My beta-ers, to the old and new ones, thank you as well for everything. It means a lot to me. **

**So, please, enjoy this chapter. **

* * *

_**Chapter 35**_

_**I've Seen you Before**_

"_How are you doing, boy?" Isshin blew out a puff of smoke as he glanced over at his son._

_Ichigo was sitting on the soft grass, the sun bright and the day sweet, and it finally stopped raining. He was not in his U.S military uniform anymore, his official last day was three week ago and he felt almost naked without the heavy material clinging onto him. He had been wearing that uniform for the past four years; it became a second skin. _

_There was no reason for him to keep wearing it but he wanted to. Besides him becoming accustomed to it, his uniform was the last thing his mother saw him in. For a moment, he wanted to freeze life so he could feel the love and warmth in his mother's eyes as she slowly let go of his hand. _

_Ichigo's eyes were beet red, he was tired and his breath was shaky. Ichigo took a deep breath, trying to contain the rising tears in his eyes but they slowly left. "How do you think?"_

_Isshin went and sat down with his son and rubbed his shoulder, "Your mother will always be with us, Ichigo."_

"_I-I know, I just wished I was here earlier."_

"_No one knew, Masaki just…suddenly got sick. There wasn't much we could have done." Isshin stuttered slightly. He tried to keep strong. He spent that last three weeks sobbing with his family as grief fell upon the pack for the lost of their _Luna_. _

_The Kurosaki household saw the smile on their mother's face slowly relaxed, her last breath seeped out from her, and the dimming in her eyes came to an end after she shut her lids. The pain, Isshin discovered, was the worst pain he ever felt. It clawed at him from the inside out; it was suffocating him, pulling him down into the sea of despair. _

_He was slowly being drowned and the hands that helped him to the surface and take a deep breath were his children. _

"_Daddy?" Yuzu walked outside, her eyes swollen and Karin was with her, eyes equally swollen as she carried a box._

_Isshin smiled at his daughters and saw his wife in them as they sat on the grass with them, "What is it?" He asked. Karin leaned against Ichigo's shoulder as she opened the box she was carrying. _

"_D-daddy, we found this, it…it's Mum's stuff, right?"_

_Karin handed the box over to Yuzu and she pulled it on her lap, "We were wondering w-what is it?" Karin said, "We've never seen it before."_

_Isshin looked at the box and pulled a ribbon out. It was long and pink, thin and fragile. "This…is your mother's memory box." He handed the ribbon to Karin and chocked out, "This was the ribbon your mom was wearing on our first date." Karin pulled out a dried out apple blossom and looked over at her father, "That…was one of the flowers in your mother's wedding bouquet…we still have your mother's wedding dress in the basement if you girls want to see it."His voice tightened and his eyes burned as Ichigo pulled out another item in the box. _

_It was a photo; Ichigo first read the back that had 'Ichigo's future mate' scribbled in his mother's messy handwriting. Ichigo frowned but then laughed, his mother was never the type of person to try and set him up on a date. "Old man, what's this about?" Ichigo flipped the photo over and saw his parents. _

_This was from that soiree they went to in March. _

_In between of his parents stood a young girl, surprised at the sudden thrill of his parents, he felt bad for her. His parents were a burst of…excitement for most. She was stunning. Ichigo started at her, black hair swept up, dark blue eyes, sweet pink lips, a dress that made her look like a mystical forest creature. _

_She was more than stunning. _

"_Oh! That's a girl we met in March at that party." Isshin leaned over and grabbed the picture, "We really like her…her name is Rukia. Your mom and I thought you might like her."_

"_Like her," Ichigo mumbled, he was trying to hide the reddening of his cheeks, "From mom's writing on the back of this you guys thought she's my mate."_

"_She's really pretty." Yuzu said in a small voice. _

"_Who knows," Karin mumbled, "This might be Mom's last gift to you, Ichi-nii."_

"_Rukia…" Ichigo said the name slowly as he stared at the girl more._

"_You know what they say," Yuzu piped up, "Mother knows best."_

_Ichigo frowned but then smirked, "Well, if Mom's right then I'll have to thank her…she found my mate." He placed the photo back in the box, glancing once more at the girl in the photo._

~o~o~o~o~o~

The roaring of the engine slowly went to a smooth buzz as the airplane pulled in and stationed itself at the gate. The morning was bright as the passengers of Valley North 178 walked out of the plane.

"Are you sure about this?" An elderly man asked.

"Never been surer in my life," The much younger man replied. He yawned and placed his sunglasses on as they walked to baggage claim.

"Your agreement," The elderly man mentioned.

"Some agreements are meant to be broken," The younger man got their luggage and called a taxi.

"Do you know what you're going to say?"

"No, not really," He said and grinned, "Thought I'll wing it."

"But…how are you going to deal with them?"

"Like I always dealt with them in the past," the young man reasoned, "not much changed."

"Except that they're creatures from a fairytale." The elderly man mumbled as he gave the address to the taxi driver.

"Is that really your issue?" He asked.

The elderly man shook his head, "Of course, serving the family for many years we have been against the Others, trying to protect the humans from them. Now, it's just…I want you to be careful is all."

"Still always watching after me all these years," the young man chuckled and the rest of the car ride was in silence. The elderly man woke the younger man when they arrived to their destination. The young man, yawning more loudly after his nap, paid the taxi fare as a bellboy helped with their luggage.

They went to the front desk, "Excuse what time is it?" The young man asked.

"It's past noon, sir. How can I help you?"

"We want a large suite, separate rooms."

"How long are you going to stay with us?"

"Don't know."

The receptionists nodded her head and input the information, "Way of payment?" The young man pulled his wallet out and handed his card and ID, it didn't take long and their suite was booked for them and the woman handed over their room keys. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, thank you."

"Well…welcome at the _Supra Natural_, Kano-san."

Ashido gave a smile and a curt nod, "Thank you, Miss Inoue."

~o~o~o~o~o~

At noon, Isshin awoke to a strange scent in his home. Groggily, he lifted his head from the pillow covered in his drool and took a deep whiff. The smell came from downstairs he realized and he tried to make out what it was. It was smoky fire wood but grassy smell. He made the distinction of it being alive, a human, and extremely male.

Isshin quickly thought of his daughters, his very pretty and teenage daughters that men were willing pluck from right under his own home. Isshin swore loudly and raced out of his bedroom, tripping on his bed sheets as he yanked the door opened, "Girls!"

"Don't scream, pops." Karin was walking by him; she just left her bedroom and was heading downstairs. "Oh, and someone name Abarai Renji is here to see you, he's been waiting to see you since seven in the morning."

"What?"

"Don't forget to put on your slippers unless you want Yuzu to yell at you again."

Not willing to make Yuzu upset, Isshin put on his slippers and headed downstairs. Yuzu was in the kitchen singing happily as she was cooking for Renji. Renji, looking as if he could be rolled out of the kitchen, kept eating because he, like many males, didn't have the heart to deny any more food from the happy Yuzu.

When Renji saw Isshin, he gave the _Alpha _a silent plea of help. Isshin frowned and rubbed his head, "Yuzu, that's enough, hun. Abarai and I need to talk."

Yuzu paused but smiled, "Okay."

"How about you and Karin go out and eat something nice? My treat."

Yuzu smiled widely and nodded, "Okay! Karin, daddy said we could spend his money on sweets!"

"Not all of it! Hey!" Isshin chastised but the girls were already out the door. "Very much like their mother," He muttered and looked at Renji, "How can I help you, son?"

Renji was quiet, he was debating with himself again and Isshin waited patiently. Eating off Renji's overfilled plate and grabbing a cup of steaming coffee Karin prepared for him–Yuzu was no good at making coffee. Isshin could see the internal battle within Renji displaying on his face as Isshin sipped his coffee, the a_lpha _saw it in his eyes as he sweated and was jittery.

"I need…" Renji began and Isshin stopped eating, nodding for Renji to continue. "I need to get stronger. Even when we were little, I've watched Rukia struggle and never once ask for help…. What I want is to get stronger; I want to help protect her."

"Why are you telling _me _this?"

"I…need you to turn me into a werewolf," Renji stared at the _Alpha_, his eyes determined, "and I won't take 'no' for an answer."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The clock dinged eight times, it synched with the sound of her heels clinking against the polish floors. Rukia was walking towards the elevator by herself, her head held high and back straight. She had the same expression on her face as the day he met her, impassive until you reached her eyes. Such vibrant, bright eyes that still halted his breath when her gaze met his. She was wearing a pastel pink dress, stockings with white heels and her trademark gloves.

Classic Rukia.

"Rukia," He called and when she turned she didn't gave him her small smile that she usually would do. Instead, her eyes narrowed slightly and she frowned as caution filled her lips.

"Ashido…are you here to get me naked once more?"

He gave a guilty smile and apologized, "Of course not, I'll wait to do that once we're married but I learned my lesson last time. I didn't enjoy my time as a toad."

"I already declined your offer and you are lucky I did not morph you into a roach." Rukia gave him a stern look and as he said nothing she asked him, "What are you doing here?"

Ashido nevertheless smiled at her and ushered them inside the elevator, "I have business here with the Others." He said, fixing his suit and brushing his hair to the side, "You're going to be at the meeting, right?"

"Yes, I am my father's replacement," Rukia glanced up at him apprehensively and sighed, "I know you very well, Ashido…tell me: what are you planning?"

Ashido gave a softer smile and there was a flash of recognition in his eyes "Besides my survival, my victory."

"Survival? Over what?"

"I'll let you guess."

The door opened to their level and Ashido was the first to step out. He waited for her out of habit, "Ashido…what actions are you going to take?"

He did not answer and they walked in silence. The door to the meeting room was in front of them and before Rukia could activate the door to open, Ashido's hand appeared on her shoulder, "I promised your father I would attempt beyond my best to protect you…and I am going to do such as I agreed to."

"I do not need your protection; I have enough of it as it is."

"Always willing to fight alone."

"Always willing to assume I cannot."

Ashido sighed and pulled on his jacket, "I'm not here to fight with you."

"Why not? I always find it amusing when we do."

"And it is these witty remarks that makes many fall for your charm."

"Well, I am charming."

"When you should be Snow White…waiting for your Prince Charming to kiss you awake."

Rukia's frown deepened, narrowing her eyes more than Ashido would have wanted, but this degree of seriousness that she developed went back to her original question, "What are you planning?"

"Many things that I wish to reveal, many things that I hope to accomplish. Matters which I will not reveal to you but…I do want to say, 'I'm sorry.' I know this wasn't what you wanted, but–"

The door then opened from the other side, Ichigo was standing there. Anger evident on his face seeing Ashido, however he said nothing as Rukia made the move to walk in; the werewolf followed his mate protectively, glancing back at the human and snorted before they sat down.

Ashido stared at where the couple sat down but said nothing. He gave a polite smile at Yamamoto as he sat down right next to Rukia, much to Ichigo's irritation. From the corner of Ashido's eye he saw Ichigo saying something to Rukia, she shook her head and waved whatever he said down. Ichigo looked shy all the sudden, a low sound of a thud was made and Rukia whispered something to him. There was relief in his expression as Rukia gave a smile, it was small and it was worried.

As it should be.

Ashido looked around and saw faces he recognized and faces he did not.

Yamamoto began the meeting; the only ones missing were Hitsugaya who was finally awaken from his coma last night and the rest who were killed.

The meeting began normally, discussion about the hollows, the Espadas, Rukia, and so on. It wasn't until Soi Fong jumped from her seat and pointed at Ashido, "I'm sick of this! Who is he!" She roared out, huffing in annoyance.

Ashido glanced at the Chinese representative and nodded at her; she huffed and glared at him as she sat down and he stood up. He smiled and introduced himself. "Hello, I'm Kano Ashido from America; I'm part of the Knights, the protectors, for humans."

"What are you doing here, then Monsieur Kano?" Ukitake asked, his composure composed and serene, he was adding lemon into his tea. "You do know this is a council of Others, correct?

"Yes, I do know. Besides the information shared today, I know what's going on: the war, Rukia, the visions, the talismans and keys, and the Espadas. I know and I'm here to help. I have information as to _who_ is leading the Espadas."

The energy was drained from almost everyone in the room. Rukia along with Isshin and Yamamoto shifted their gaze directly onto Kano, watching him, trying to decipher if he was lying or not.

They all waited for him to continue, all wanting the answer of the question and all twitching to jump out of their seats to demand it. However, they waited patiently and Kano noticed the room was relaxed once more, the spark of sudden tension gone.

"What do you want for the information?" Shunsui said in a solemn voice as he drank his tea.

"I only want one thing," Ashido said, his tone even and low as he finished his sentence, stating what he wanted. "I will exchange the information for marriage to my ex-fiancée."

This time the energy was drained from the werewolves and Ishida only.

"Are you insane, Ashido!" Ishida growled, sounding like a werewolf himself. Cheeks flared in anger, he won't let this man ruined the happiness that Ichigo and Rukia acquired. "Rukia-san already declined your offer!"

"This goes against the law of Others!" Isshin's voice rumbled, "You can't take another werewolf's mate."

"Unless she accepts," Ashido was soft when he reached for Rukia's hand and she didn't pull away but when she turned her eyes to meet his, Ashido never seen her eyes so…dull. "I've read the rules myself and memorized it," He stated and then rephrased the paragraph of that rule in a simple sentence, "A mate has the ability to leave his or her fated mate if they desire."

Ichigo snarled at him. His angr rolled out in seeping clouds, casting the raging ocean of his blood to thrash violently as it pumped through his heart, crashing into the muscles. His arm reached out, fingers shaking with the need to strangle him, "Son of a bitch, I will–"

"–Do nothing," Ashido said smoothly, "Because I'm going to give Rukia a day to decide." The human pulled himself free from the werewolf's firm grip. He tugged on his suit and ran a hand through his hair, "I will see you all tomorrow." He walked towards the door but stopped and turned to Rukia. "If you like to give me your answer sooner, I'll be in my room–1809. Goodnight."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Isshin, Ichigo, and Ishida sat in a circle. Ishida, smoking with the werewolves for a change, shook his head and annoyingly looked over at the two werewolves.

"How do we know he's bluffing?" Isshin asked, "As a human, a damn Knight, he could have personal reasons to try to weaken the Others."

"Does he have a reason to?" Ishida frowned, "And why would it concern the Others? Maybe he trying to get Rukia? Maybe he has good reasons."

"Or he can't let go over the fact that Rukia picked me over him!" Ichigo slammed his fist on the table. "If he truly wanted to help us, he wouldn't have tried to bribe Rukia or us!"

"Knowing Yamamoto, he would support Rukia agreeing to this," Isshin pawed at his face, frustrated as he tried to come with other options.

"Knowing Rukia-san, she would agree to it."

"Don't say that!" Ichigo barked and stood up, knocking his chair back, "…She wouldn't."

"She would, you know that, Kurosaki," Ishida remained seated, "Don't lie to yourself."

"Boys, enough!" Isshin smashed his cigarette out, "We don't know what Rukia-chan is going to do, and let's not concern ourselves with it! We need to focus on Kano."

Ichigo sat back down, huffing as he drowned the cup of bourbon in his hand. He shook off the bitterness of the drink, scowling at the burn in his throat, and enjoyed the warmth of it in his stomach that bloomed throughout his chest.

"If…Rukia agrees he would tell the truth. He has Rukia and if he was lying, Rukia would be handling his ass until he's nothing but boneless human wings."

"If it's not true, he would have Rukia-san by marriage, probably demand that she bear an heir; then, tell us he's fucking with us." Ishida noticed the tight grip of Ichigo's hand on his knee.

"We can't focus on what Rukia-chan is going to do," Isshin glared at both males, reminding once more, "We need to focus on Kano."

"On what?" Ishida grounded, "He came out of nowhere. He's a charming guy, good at public speaking, honorable, noble, and helpful. He's probably _not _lying, and is trying to get Rukia out of the line of fire in this war."

"We can't torture the information out of him," Ichigo grumbled, scowling with his hand under his chin, thinking hard. "We're not monsters…or at least not completely."

"We can't ignore him because we're fucking desperate." Ishida groaned, "Humans know about us, war is causing destruction on cities, and Others are being threatened and harassed. We need this information to end the war, as soon as possible; so, the humans don't find out…and win this war."

"With this information, for once, we can be a step ahead instead of a step behind." Isshin reached for a pen and grabbed paper, "One of us, in the Council of Others, is a spy…or the leader of the Espada. We either offer him something else or…."

"Have Rukia agree?" Ichigo's scowl was intense, his eyebrows drawn together in frustration. "Fuck…."

~o~o~o~o~o~

It was raining suddenly; there was no thunder and no lightening.

It was simply raining.

The generous amount of water droplets fell onto the ground in an illogical rhythm. The window was opened and a cool breeze swelled into the room. The night was unforgiving for the eyes, making the inventive listener blind.

The rain was simple, controllable, but not at all helping with the scattering thoughts.

"Hey…" The sound of the word was spoken in a gruff manner, but it didn't surprise her. Ichigo walked closer to her prone form at the piano, closing the window as she paid keen attention to the clamoring outside. The rain hitting the windows and the building vibrated in her room. Rukia's finger pressing softly against the keys of the piano

Only when he sat on the other side of her did Rukia turn her head. She gave him a smile, "Hi."

They did not touch, did not speak, and together they listened to the music of water droplets outside.

The morning after, Rukia once again awoke first. Completely naked from last night's activities, she laid there staring at a scar on Ichigo's chest. She was pressed up against him tight, the sublevel of her stomach buzzing with warmth.

The night before their love making, much to Ichigo's frustrated pleasure, was slow. Rukia rode him, hands on the top of his thighs as she ascended and descended. She ignored Ichigo's panting pleas and impatient hands, the ways he tried to gain control to which she counter by not moving at all and tightening herself around him.

The agonizing built of trembling gratification was long and had both of them sweating and sore, but the climax was oh so astounding.

From the scar she traced the hairs up to his sturdy neck, patches of thick, stout hair already forming on his skin. Werewolves and their abilities to grow hair really amazed her. Her hand went to touch the shorten hairs, the scraping was harsh against her skin but she did not mind.

Ichigo, asleep, was really a different matter altogether she concluded after a few seconds of observing him. His face smooth, no harsh line, no scowl or knitted eyebrows. Mouth agape, sometimes mouthing something, other times he would be snoring loudly.

She lingered against his chest, hearing the beating of his strong heart and pulled away. She sat up and brushed her hair away, the air in the room was chilly and her skin tensed from the stark contrast.

She let loose a large yawn and she rubbed her eyes awake. She blinked away the sleep that lingered and searched for the clock. She scowled at the time, it was close to nine and she agreed to meet with Ashido.

She saw the speedy red stick twirl in the haughty clock, seconds were passing her.

If she took her wand out, bind some clothing on her, and take her broom…she could make it.

In spite of this, of what she agreed to and what seemed logical Rukia looked back at Ichigo. He was still sleeping, oblivious to her thoughts, as always. One of his arms anchored her to him.

Then, he sputtered awake, gasping at the sudden attack of the pillow that was smacked against him. "I am hungry…let us go out and eat." His wide eyes locked themselves to her form, smirking and a quirk eyebrow perched.

How could she be so bright with mischief in the morning?

He heaved a sigh, checking the clock himself and nodded, agreeing that it was time to eat. "At least give me something to rejuvenate myself with."

"What do you want?" She asked, thinking that there was coffee, juice, and water in the little kitchen she had.

"How about a kiss?" His hand reached up and gave her hair a tug, a sluggish smirk on his face.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_"I am here, standing before you, citizens of the United States, to say that I am not only a citizen of this great nation, but I am also…an Others."_The camera zoomed to the regale man's face, standing tall and unafraid as voices buzzed and exclaimed loudly.

It was close to five, Ichigo left to do work, and Rukia studied the television screen closely. She was alone in her room, everything dark except for the altering lights coming from the television.

The president of the United States was not the only world leader, political individual that admitted he was an Others. Soon after he revealed who he was, many soon followed. The Queen of England, the president of Mexico, president of France to name a few. Riots had commenced, more terrifying than the first ones.

She was watching the news for more than three hours now, many channels that were saying the same thing. Lying on the couch, one foot lolling off and another pressed loosely against the floor. When the man with a large smile appeared on screen again, happiness hinted on his face, she turned the television off.

A soft beep sound and the room was suddenly in complete darkness. The remote control slipped from her hand and clattered onto the floor. Then, she heard the melody, the one she was so fond of. It was coming from outside, someone was whistling it very clearly.

Almost as if her bones were disjointed, Rukia sped her way to the door, opening and seeing Ashido standing there before her. He finished the melody and smiled, "You missed our meeting."

Her face fell slightly, back into a stoic expression as she stepped out and closed her door behind her. "Did I?"

He took in her appearance. She was distraught: hair was messy, clothing rumpled, eyes hazy. "You've been thinking."

"You are acting as if that is new."

"No, but you've always been good at hiding what you were thinking." Ashido reached out but stopped before he could comb Rukia's hair. "What has he done to you?"

"I wonder," Rukia smoothed her hair out herself, and fixed her appearance, "So, tell me. What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'll walk you to the meeting…we're already late."

Rukia quickly glanced at her watch, twisting her palm straight up and seeing the ticking mechanism against her inner wrist, "As usual."

"Shall we depart?"

She stared at him, long and hard. It was quicker than the beat of a heart, the beat of a humming bird's wing. The once wreaked composure hardened completely, a mist of ice exhaled from her lips. Her mind was working, Ashido saw that but he didn't know what she was thinking.

Suddenly, she gave a smirk and answered him, "I suppose."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Ashido was eyeing Rukia all the way to the meeting room. She was planning something and this was not something new for him. He's seen these plans formulate in the past and every single one of them succeed.

"Ruk–" He tried to say her name before they entered the room but she instead ignored him and unlocked the door. She pushed it open and gave a calm smile to everyone in the room.

"I hope everyone forgives our tardiness." She didn't wait for anyone to say anything; she walked to her seat without missing a beat. A look was passed between her and Yamamoto, obvious to everyone in the room but the message was in a cryptic writing.

Ichigo threw a concerned glance at Rukia, taking her hand under the table and gave a squeeze.

After a few moments she squeezed back.

Ashido was still standing at the doorway and heaved a sigh when everyone shifted their gaze from Rukia to him. He sat down and gave a quick nod, "So, what's the answer?"

"How about we offer you money?" Soi Fong said.

"I have all the money I need."

"We'll give you information the Knights have been seeking from the Others since the Crusades." Isshin's bribe was something the Knights would have loved but Ashido shook his head.

"My father's going to have my head for this but no thank you."

"Kuchiki-san is willing to make the Kanos' partner in his business." Ishida announced, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Having my family being partnered with the Kuchiki's is only the bonus coming from the prize." That made Rukia's lips twitch but she said nothing. Ichigo was more obvious with his anger, growling at Ashido's statement; he would have cursed at him as well if it wasn't for Rukia's reassuring hand on his thigh.

"Then, for exchange of the information, we are willing to make you a permanent member of the Others council," Yamamoto answered, this was their last chip in this deal. "You would not only hear our discussion but have an opinion, your people, the humans would have a say in our decisions. It would give the Knights more power."

Every member waited for the answer, some with tentative breath and others with impatient stares. Ichigo was sweating slightly, repeatedly asking Ashido, someone, something, that this human would accept _this _offer.

"Tempting but not interested," Ashido answered with a smile, watching the werewolves and Ishida deflating in distress.

"How about all four offers?" Gin asked, his aloof grin on his face. His voice rejuvenated the wolves and elf. Rukia was the only one suspicious of him. She never truly spoke to Gin and she wondered what he would get out of this. Nevertheless these thoughts she kept to herself and waited for Ashido's answer with the rest of them.

"You would basically have everything that would make up…Kuchiki Rukia. Money, information, the Kuchiki's business, and a seat in here…just…for…you: what'd you say?" Gin tried to pursue him, "Everything but the woman herself. A young man like you doesn't need to be tied down so soon."

"Every single one of you don't get it, do you?" Ashido leaned back, "I'm not here because of this nonsense, of what she is…I'm here just for Rukia.

"Any last offers before I hear Rukia's answer?"

The only offer announced was Ichigo's storming over and jerking the man to his feet. Ashido's shirt tight in Ichigo's grip as Ichigo pulled back and ignited a punch.

"Enough, Ichigo," Rukia said coolly and pushed Ichigo's arm down. She was unsurprised at Ichigo's attack or at least she cloaked it so well that Ishida was surprised at her serene façade. "Your request," Ashido and Ichigo halted their breaths and their gaze unmoving, "I accept." She did not let her eyes stray from Ashido as he lifted her hand and kissed it fiercely. She did not dare to let her eyes stray from him and onto Ichigo.

"What are you saying, Rukia!" Ichigo yelled and then paused, his breath harsh as his fear came true. "I'm your mate!" He cried to her in rage and desperation, almost trying to remind her that they belong together, fate made them for one another.

"I am doing what is needed," Rukia turned and looked at him, straight into his eyes where he shook at the burning war inside her. "You cannot give me the necessary information that has been placed out of your domain. So, in need to be in even level playing field, I must know. Now," Rukia gave a cold smile to Ashido, "who is it?"

"First, let me make it official," from his pocket he pulled out a tiny box, dark blue and opened it. The engagement ring, large with a many diamonds and many jewels was placed on her slim, ring finger. The ring was cool. It froze her blood and he smiled at her. "Now it's official."

Ashido was suddenly pulled away from Rukia and Ichigo's fist met with the human's face again. This time the bones underneath Ashido's skin gave out from the strength and he flew back, hitting the wall. Ashido nevertheless got up, a smirk played on his lips. "Is that all you got, dog?"

"Kurosaki, contain your son!" Yamamoto said.

"You _want_ me to contain my son?" Isshin barked, "How the _fuck _can I do that?"

Ichigo stepped forward, canine fangs prominent and he grabbed the human, slamming him against the wall. "Take it back!" He roared when he felt a tug in his arm, Rukia was holding him there with thin fingers. He didn't recognize the look in her eyes as she pushed his arm down, her other hand smoothed out his gripped on Ashido. She then moved in front of him, let go and stepped forward to create space between him and the heaving human.

"What are you thinking?" She said angrily, and at first Ichigo thought she was speaking to him. His insides already freezing in fear but she then turned and looked at Ashido. "You dare bring a gun in here? With those kind of bullets? Are you trying to kill him?"

"I'm only trying to protect myself, Rukia." Ashido lowered the gun in his hand and chuckled, "I would never try to purposely kill your mate." He opened his gun, showed the bullets inside, silver.

Ichigo and Isshin snarled at the sight, Rukia had to push against Ichigo as he charged forward. "That is enough, Ichigo." She pushed but he only moved away when he stepped away.

"Rukia…."

"Enough," She repeated slowly, she raised her wand at him as her other hand was stretched out behind her. Ashido grabbed it and tried to stand up but she told him not to. Her body obstructed his view of the werewolf.

"Rukia," No one could see his face, the agony that was displayed as he said her name. Rukia saw a tear leave his eyes as he stared at her and her throat constricted. She shook her head slowly, almost pleading that he didn't look at her like that. "Please."

The knot in her throat was drowning her as her mouth tried to form words.

"Aizen Sousuke," Ashido suddenly said behind her.

"Don't you know? He passed away." Soi Fong said, hoping to demolish the tense atmosphere between the werewolf, his mate, and the human.

It didn't.

Ashido lifted himself up, still nursing his face and walked with a slight limp, and gave a painful grin. "He isn't."

"He's lying! Aizen is a dignified man and Other! He doesn't deserve this slander! Get this man out of here, Yamamoto-san!" Komura yelled, his voice booming in the room.

Ashido sat back down, glancing back at a thawing expression, "I have proof…and witnesses."

In a soft whisper Ichigo said her name again. He hoped that maybe this tone would wake her up instead. That she would realize the error she made by agreeing with Ashido's terms. That she would place more consideration on him. She would use her magic to take them back in time.

Where his blood didn't plunge to the bottom of his feet.

Where he didn't feel that unsettled stomach of unwanted sensation aggressively trying to escape his mouth.

Where his heart stopped clenching, stop falling, and stressed its muscles to reset this body back to normal.

However, it just brought hot tears in her eyes. Almost as if she comprehended what she had done and regretted and he waited. He waited for her to say that she wasn't going to. That she did it to get the information. She wasn't going to leave him.

Her face, cleaned and doll-like that was always composed finally cracked. The pieces crumbled before his eyes and he saw the truth.

She wasn't going to take it back.

The tears in her eyes brimmed over her lower lids, wetting her lashes and streamed down her red cheeks. She suddenly opened her mouth, she wanted to speak but she just clenched her teeth and shook her head.

"What witnesses!" Soi Fong's loud voice, strong and solid, cuffed the couple. They did not turn to look but they both half listened to the voice.

"You know one of them, Hitsugaya."

"He just woke up," Shunsui reasoned.

"Because of Aizen," The door was pushed open harshly and Hitsugaya, brows furrowed and eyes flaming hot walked in calmly. "That son-of-a-bitch tried to kill me and Mr. Kano saved me."

"He's dead," Isane stated, "that was the report!"

"I know the report!" Hitsugaya yelled, "I saw him being killed but when I woke up, I saw him trying to kill me."

"Why were you there?" Isshin asked Ashido, "Visiting Hitsugaya in the hospital, a man you didn't even know?"

"I was told by Rukia's father, to protect her." Her name being said sent a painful compression around her throat. "I know what happened but I didn't _know_ what was happening. I was investigating, I needed to know. I went and looked around, I told my knights to investigate and from there…I went to see Hitsugaya.

"When I arrived I saw a man there that I was pretty sure was dead. I saw pictures, read articles and witness statements. Aizen Sousuke was dead but he was standing over Hitsugaya's body."

"How do we know you're not lying?" Ukitake asked, "This is not to discredit what you said but we need to be clear and completely sure."

"What!" Hitsugaya growled, "Am I not enough proof for you stiff gents!"

"How can we be sure?" Gin reasoned, "you just woken up. Could be hallucinating, he could have drugged you."

"I'm a dragon, Gin! The Knights barely have any information on vampires and werewolves, you think they'll try human methods on me!" Hitsugaya sat down, still tired from his recovery and he promised Momo not to strain himself.

"He's a Knight but he isn't completely oblivious to the Others. We don't know how much information he has on us. We don't even know if there are Others on his side, helping him!" Kenpachi joined in at last. "I say let's just kill him. He gave us the information already!"

"Don't be reckless," Isane mumbled, "He is the heir of the Kano, and if anything happened to him the war will extend to the humans!"

"She's right," Soi Fong barked at the Russian, "We would be causing more trouble! Just give him the girl!"

"How can we when we don't even know if the information is true!" Ishida finally had it. He stood up, silently raging at her, "You're trading a living Other for an unverified information."

Shunsui spilled his tea and pouted, "Well, why can't we trust Hitsugaya, he's such a nice boy."

"Man," the ice dragon corrected.

"Because he just came out of coma," Gin sighed.

"I saw what I saw! I woke up moments before Aizen lifted his sword to kill me!" Hitsugaya then pointed at Ashido, "He walked in and stopped _that _man before he could do anything!"

"We need more proof than your words, Hitsugaya." Yamamoto finally spoke, silencing the arguing Others.

"I have a…family friend of the Kurosaki here as well." Ashido played with the remote of the projector, "I just beeped him to come in here."

"What family friend?" Isshin asked. Then, a knock on the door rumbled throughout the room. Each representative turned their heads towards the door, waiting for it to open but it didn't. Yamamoto, his hand clenched around his cane allowed the door to be opened. On the other side was Mizuiro, Ichigo's good friend from high school.

Mizuiro sensed the pressure in the room but he paid no heed to it and gave a large smile as he flipped his phone shut. "Hi!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

Inoue fidgeted in her sit, twiddling her thumbs as she glanced at the clock. It was five minutes passed eight and Ishida was late. She had a cup of coffee in front of her and stared at her reflection in the steaming cup.

She fiddled some more and gave a disappointed sigh but kept a smile on her face. Ishida was running late and she was beginning to worry. She admitted, at first she was upset. She thought that maybe, just maybe, Ishida decided not to accompany her anymore, he stood her up.

She then shook her head at that thought and gave a snort. Ishida was a gentleman. He would never do such a thing to anyone. Then, she began to worry. So many thoughts passed through her and she wondered if something happened.

The twitch in her legs begged her to move but she remained seated and told herself ten more minutes. If he wasn't here in ten minutes she would go out looking for him.

Ten minutes.

She huffed and she reached for her coffee and stopped when a man sat across from her. At first, she got excited and thought it was Ishida but it wasn't. It was a man, extremely pale skinned, dark hair and emerald eyes.

"I'm sorry…that seat is taken?" She phrased it as question, not used to this kind of…direct attention.

"Is it taken or is it not, woman?" The man asked.

"It...it is taken."

"Then, where is your companion?"

"He's not here yet…he's running late." Inoue answered, blushing and gave a firm frown. The man nodded his head and brought his hands up, interlacing them and rested his chin on top of them.

While Inoue may be an airhead and it does take her a long time for "things" to click, it clicked very well for her at that moment. She blinked and dropped her coffee. It bounced off the table and rolled onto the ground, cracking into shards as warm brown liquid lay about.

Her eyes wide and mouth snapped shut.

"What are you going to do?"

"Bring despair," he stated and stood. An arm swung out and the tables behind him were pushed against the wall. Pressure so intense the wall itself broke along with the humans. Screams of terror sounded in the room, people began to rush out, turning over tables and chairs as they scrambled out. Even other people, the man gave to emotional indication of pain, pleasure, lust. He only appeared stoic as he raised his arm again, "Such selfish creatures…humans."

Inoue glanced behind her, the humans with terror on their faces. All trying to leave and in the midst of this chaos of people pushing over people, trampling other people to save themselves…she saw them.

A couple and a family.

The couple was very young, hands linked and both protected each other. The family: mother, father, and bouncing baby girl. The mother's hand tightly gripping on her child, holding the baby close to her bosom as her husband shielded them from the rest that were trying to push them down.

The light had somehow fallen on them, they were the most visible ones in the mass and Inoue shouted, "No!"

She grabbed the man's hand and aimed it at herself, crying as she shook in terror. "Don't do this!"

"Move aside, woman."

"I won't!" Inoue cried, "I won't allow you to kill them!"

"The humans had killed your kind, burned and drowned them. Which side are you on?" His hand pressed itself against her chest, right at her heart.

"The side that believes we can live in a co-existing world." Her voice shook.

"You would die for them?"

"Yes." More sobs and because of her siren heredity her wails were loud and deafening.

"Would you die for me?"

"Yes," she said without pausing, "I would die for you."

"You're interesting, woman." The hand pressed harder against her, "However, I am sorry. I was sent to put more pressure on the Others." His other free hand swung and knocked the wall on the other side of the street down.

"No!"

Then in his hand, dark sand formed itself in a lengthy sword and he gave a hearty swipe. Destroying another wall in the small restaurant that was on the first floor of a giant building.

The man calmly walked out and did not take heed to Inoue's cries and created more damage with a simple swipe of his sword.

"Stop!" She cried out and he looked over at her and did, only after he destroyed a whole block. Inoue was the only one unharmed, covered in dust and dirt but still completely fine. She hiccupped and fell to her knees and she couldn't hear anyone's voices.

~o~o~o~o~o~

There was a silence in the room, not even the normal harsh breathing that indicated an upset werewolf could be heard.

The mated couple was still having at hard time tearing their eyes from one another. Nevertheless, it was Rukia who closed her eyes and looked away.

"Why are you here?" Ishida finally growled

"Eh…I was told to come here," Mizuiro answered with a brief smile.

"How are you connected to all of this?" Shunsui asked, getting to the blunt point.

"I was there, of course."

"You are working with him." Ichigo said. Rukia walked away from Ichigo who grabbed her arm, preventing her from sitting back down. Ichigo looked up from Rukia to his friend, "Are you, Mizuiro?"

"What if I am?"

"You're an Others! Working with the Knights! What are you thinking!" Soi Fong's shrill voice made the smile lessen on Mizuiro's face.

"That there is something that I want that working with the Others won't give me." Mizuiro's smile slipped back on, "So, that being said, I can also verify that what Kano and Mr. Hitsugaya are saying it true."

"And…if that is not enough for you, you can even have Rukia to project our memory for you, Yamamoto-san. We–I–have nothing to hide. " Ashido ignored the hand around Rukia's arm and nodded at her.

The Others' eyes swiftly moved from the human onto the old dragon, waiting for his order. His hand tightened around his cane and he nodded, "I want to see the memory. Rukia-san, if you please." He looked pointedly at Ichigo, "Kurosaki, please let her go."

Ichigo's fingers slope down her arm, brushing her fingers until his hand fell to his side. The warmth of his touch stayed on her skin as she moved over to Ashido. "Think of the memory."

To which he did.

"When you have the memory," She began and with her wand she made a glass ball, small and fitting perfectly in her hand. She handed the glass ball to him, "Close your eyes and press this against your forehead. Do not open your eyes until the memory you want to share ends."

"Will I lose the memory forever?" Their fingers touched and hers lingered longer than Ichigo would have liked and shorter than Ashido preferred.

"No…it will just be copied and when Yamamoto-san sees it, it will disappear."

Ashido gave a quick smile and pressed the ball against the skin between his eyebrows. He closed his eyes and his memory visibly filled the inside of the glass. A curling puff of smoke slithered in, a mixture of blue, purple, and black, winding itself within the ball. Ashido's eyes ruptured open, irises dazed as the ball separated from the flesh of his face. He took a deep breath, almost a gasp, as he staggered to balance his mind.

Rukia took the ball, this time avoiding his fingers and walked over to Yamamoto. She placed the ball in front of the dragon and stepped away. "Thank you, Rukia-san." The older dragon was experienced in this practice of memory recreation and as such took the ball and, like an egg, cracked it open.

The room was silent once more as the smoke escaped the ball and coiled around the old dragon. The smoke entered his mouth, nose, ears and his eyes widened as the memory took over. The looked was dazed, more so than Ashido. He was lost, not in their world but he was lost in the past. Yamamoto's eyes trembled and became a light grey color.

A large exhale and the smoke was released from Yamamoto, escaping and dissolving in the air.

"Well?" Ukitake said, "Don't keep us waiting."

"He is not lying," Rukia responded promptly, "He speaks the truth."

"How would you know!" Soi Fong got up from her seat to stride over to Rukia.

"Simply because…" Rukia stopped and gave a glance over to Ichigo. This was a gift, something that she was supposed to be proud of. Her "family" was proud of her gift and she sensed Ishida's gaze on her. Urging her to not reveal her secret but her mouth opened and words escaped: "I can read minds." The secret that she kept for many years was unveiled, like a gaping wound that everyone saw. Bleeding and raw, disgusting and many want to quickly bandage it up and cover it.

It was visible.

"Never thought of you to be liar, Kuchiki." Soi Fong stated, "You think any of us will believe–"

"–_that nonsense_?" Rukia had grabbed Soi Fong's hand and the representative glared and Rukia repeated every word that was produced in her mind. "_Do you think this is working? Wait. What's going on. My thoughts, she's saying them. How is it possible? Yoruichi mentioned she was special once. Was it because of this. Stop. Stop!_"

"Let go of me!" Soi Fong ripped herself free and stumbled back, knocking over her chair as she trembled at Rukia's sight. "What are you?"

Rukia closed her fist and didn't answer her.

Soi Fong, suddenly noticing her humiliation, stood back up, this time not standing close to Rukia. "It's strange; you would think you would want him to be lying so you don't want to marry him. Maybe you've been siding with the Knights all along!"

"Enough!" Yamamoto banged his cane against the floor. "Kano is not lying…Rukia-san is on our side, and Aizen is the enemy."

"The memory was clear?" Kenpachi grumbled.

"Extremely."

"What happened in the memory?" Ukitake tried to refocus the attention from Rukia back to the memory. Something Rukia was grateful for.

"Kano and Kojima entered the hospital Hitsugaya was staying at. Kojima was speaking of not finding Aizen's remains. In the room a nurse was murdered, bleeding over the floor as Aizen, himself, stood over Hitsugaya. Aizen had a sword and would have killed Hitsugaya if it wasn't for Kano blocking the attack. Kojima with his own weapon fired and Hitsugaya awoken from his unconscious state; he became a dragon and freezed the whole room. Aizen blocked the attacks and fled the scene."

"Just like that?" Soi Fong muttered.

"Would you want me to describe the curtains as well?"

"That man, Aizen," Mizuiro began, "is powerful. What bothered me is that he could have killed us all but didn't."

"And that reason is because the most powerful wizards placed a protection spell in that room." Isshin responded, "no magic would harm Hitsugaya in that room."

"Then why was he able to turn into a dragon?"

"The spell was to protect him. Blood is taken to form this powerful spell. That is why he was unharmed when he transformed into a dragon."

Hitsugaya cradled his head as he took a deep sigh, "Then, what are we going to do?"

"We found the culprit." Gin mentioned.

"Now," Komamura spoke delicately, his anger fusing within him. "What actions should we take?"

"Yamamoto," Tōsen spoke, "How are we going to retaliate?"

Isshin and Ichigo promptly turned their heads towards the door, their werewolves' senses catching the sounds of running footsteps before the loud knocks came. Urgent and impatient, "Open up! Something happened!" It was Tatsuki's voice drifting through the doors, "Hurry and open up!"

Rukia lifted her wand and unlocked the door, swung the door open to reveal a panic stricken Tatsuki. "They just attacked a restaurant downtown, a place called _The Bow Tie Seas_."

Ishida stood up, numbed as he looked down at his watch, at the time. "No…"

* * *

**Thank you for reading the whole chapter, doves. ****  
****Please review, FF has changed its design again and it's so easy now. It takes two seconds and I would love to hear your well-mannered critiques, not insults or hate, but polite critiques or thoughts on this chapter. It'll mean the world to me. **

**Thank you and review!**


	37. Chapter 36

**Evening, I hope everyone is excited for another chapter. **

**I do want to remind everyone that I get you guys get excited and really into fics and stuff. However, please no death threats towards me. Unless we know each other extremely well, it's not cool. Death towards characters you dislike is okay, I don't mind but, please, not to me. 'n'**

**mypupps1, thank you for your review. It was extremely sweet and thoughtful.**

**To everyone else that hates Kano...sorry?**

**So please, enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

_**Chapter 36**_

_**Incendium**_

_Hot tears streamed down her face. _

_She gazed intensely at her reflection._

"Think. Think. Think!_" She screamed at herself, "_Strategies. Poutlan. What would be his next move?_" Her thoughts were spreading wildly in her mind. _

_She was getting nervous; her body trembled, however she couldn't stop her thoughts from combusting. _

_Closing her eyes, she crumbled. This was the only time she allowed herself to cry. She would never let anyone see the frustrated tears escaping her, never allow anyone to comfort her. _

_This was her burden, her decision. _

_It pained her and it increased even more when she thought of Ichigo. The pain would bloom from her chest, curl upwards and choke her while her head became foggy and a force compressed her head. _

_The content of the note carved into her eyes: _

Agree to Ashido Kano's terms or I will kill them all.

_She thought of the pictures: the twins, Momo, and Rangiku. The Polaroid photos were extremely close to the woman, all have recent times and dates. This man, that monster, was close to them, close to the people she cared about. _

_He could kill them whenever he wanted to. _

_They thought they were safe enough to not get killed. _

_The truth that _they _were in the palm of his hands burned her, enflamed her in aggravated heat that scorched her. Were they all _this _powerless against this man?_

_The smoldering yell did not go past her lungs, the tears stopped but the intense anger clawed at her. She won't allow him to harm anyone, she was going to gain back control. _

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Your eyes are red, Rukia."

She ignored his comment. Her brain was compressing inside her skull, and loud thuds repeatedly pounded against her eyes. It was powerful enough that it made her nauseous. "You were trying to provoke him," Rukia ignored her pain and set the chess piece down and looked back at Ashido, waiting for his move. "I should be hitting you instead of playing chess for what you did to him."

"It wasn't that bad. He just felt the same way I felt when you were taken from me."

"Do not compare yourself to him."

"Since meeting him…your 'mate,'" Ashido smiled and ignored the blinding pain coming from his cheek as he moved a pawn forward, "you've became more violent."

"Do not be naïve, I have always been violent…I simply suppressed it all these years." Rukia captured Ashido's white knight and placed them with the rest of her victims.

They were outside but they did not know where, or at least she didn't. He asked her to transport them to somewhere private before everyone left the meeting room to deal with the event in downtown. Rukia agreed seeing that she had no choice. She wanted to transport them at the outskirt of the city; however, Ashido thought of a different location before her and they landed here.

In a garden where there was a chessboard table laid out with all the chess pieces ready to be moved. Rukia demanded the name of their location and Ashido demanded a game. She had no power over him and agreed, twenty-three moves later and here they were, still playing.

"I did want to provoke him," Ashido set a tight defense, "after all, he stole something that was originally mine."

Rukia secured her king, "I am not a trophy to be won."

"Sure in hell look like one," Ashido leaned back, gently cupping his face and wincing at the pain. "Not going to heal this up for me, huh?"

"You deserve that punch and more," Rukia watched as Ashido captured her rook, "When are you going to tell me?"

"You have no patience."

"I lost it when you asked me to marry you."

"You accepted."

"For two good reasons: first being that that was your request that you were forced to ask and second…I pitied you when I saw you were threatened to ask me this offer so your family wouldn't be killed."

Ashido moved a pawn forward but his hand wouldn't move from the piece, "How…?"

"I can read minds," She reminded him, "by simply touching someone's skin with my skin. When you touched my hand, slipping the ring on and when I gave you the memory ball: I read your mind. I saw what happened, that you were threatened and I sympathized with you. I also saw that you still love me, which is why I still trust you and agreed.

"Your stupid mistakes cannot erase all the good you have done to me. For that, I am thankful that I have you. Unfortunately, while I was in your mind, his face was blocked by a shadow. That intrigued me…that is a tremendous amount of power."

"So you can read everyone's mind?" Ashido shook his head and took captive Rukia's pawn.

"No, I cannot read Ichigo's but I can read everyone else's mind…" Rukia voice died out as she gazed at Ashido. "That man," Rukia remembered there was another person's mind she could not read, "That should have told me…I should have known."

"Aizen Sousuke," Ashido took Rukia's bishop, "is the man that the Kano's knights found, captured and were killed by."

"When did this happen?"

"Before my arrival to see Hitsugaya," Kano watched as Rukia trembled when she reached over and moved her only knight, "He broke into the Kano's estate wanting the Sword of Providence, I got it before he could…I fought against him. It was a tied but he was holding back and I would have lost if it was not for the sword."

"Sword of Providence?"

"An ancient sword, powerful for its ability to kill humans and Others alike…any Others. Doesn't matter what "kind" of Others because it can kill them all. The Knights have had this sword for many years but never used it because its one of a kind ability, and only being one sword while there are many Others. The Knights could not risk the sword getting into the hands of the Others. So, it was locked away and never to be seen again.

"Obviously he found out about it and after I saw his face I sent Mizuiro to find his remains. His remains were nothing but a dirt doll cursed with a voodoo spell. I was going to present that to the council but once we went to see Hitsugaya and his current state in person…we got the evidence we needed. Aizen met with me once more, he wanted me to do something for him. The request became a threat when he said he would kill the rest of my knights, my family, if I did not ask this simple question and get a 'yes.' I was in no position to negotiation."

Rukia kept her thoughts about the sword to herself and focused on Ashido's retelling of his encounter with Aizen, "Marriage…to me?" Rukia sighed, "I do not understand."

Ashido frowned at the development of the game; Rukia was always good at chess. "He wanted you to be separated from Kurosaki Ichigo, he told me to continue with my original plan of marrying you. That was one of the best ways I could protect you and that he wanted to be exposed and take credit for his doing.

"What was really sad was that I had a chance to kill him, he didn't notice me but I hesitated because I did not know who he was when I first encountered him. I could have saved you, Rukia…just like how I just saved my queen." Ashido's white queen was perfectly safe, in her space close to her king, being protected by a bishop, a rook, and four pawns. "Even if I am disturbing your destiny with him, I still want you to be my wife, Rukia. We belong together."

"Simply because you think we do, does not mean _we do_." Rukia only had her knight, king, and three pawns left.

"Your knight can't save you."

"I am not expecting him to," Rukia moved another piece, "however, I only accept your offer because _I _was threatened, as well. I accepted it because I do not want to be near Ichigo either." Ashido looked stunned and tried to understand what she was saying, "Many things are going to happen in the next forty-eight hours and I need you to make sure, promise me: that I will not fall for him again. I cannot have him disturb me from _my _destiny."

It took a moment but he answered her. "I promise," Ashido, not understanding completely, smiled, "I'll make sure at the end of everyday, that you're in love with me. I will protect my queen since your knight can't." Ashido took one more pawn.

"I do not need your protection," Rukia moved a piece and imprisoned Ashido's white queen. "I do not need my knight's protection; I did not even want it." Ashido gave a mental curse and irrational moved his chess piece. Rukia calmly picked up hers and set it down, "What I need is for my knight to win this war," Rukia let go of her chess piece, "Checkmate."

Ashido looked down at the chess board, frowning at the black knight that won this spare between them. He stared at Rukia and concluded this was not the same girl he met more than a year ago. "I will help make your wish come true, Rukia. I'll make sure your knight wins, _this_ is a promise to my bride."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Focus, Kurosaki!" Ishida was sounding more like a werewolf since the meeting but at the moment he couldn't find the sensible side of him to emerge. Hollows were attacking, people rioting against Others as the pack and the police combined forces to calm the rising anger.

Ichigo huffed and tried to shake his mind free of Rukia. Rukia who was asked by Ashido to take them away at once and to which she agreed without bating a lash. They disappeared and he was taken away to deal with this "disturbance."

The werewolf ran out from his hiding place, going straight to a hollow. It was one of the largest hollows there, also the last one that was alive. As he sprinted to the large hollow smaller ones tried to stop him however he morphed into his were form. His body growing large and bulky, his hair grew and bones cracked and reshaped.

The humans were speechless at the sight, the press numbed at the sight while the rest of the pack transformed. Ichigo threw aside hollows after hollows as he reached the main one. The white mask on its face with its toothy grin and Ichigo jumped the creature.

Ishida hit most of the hollows Ichigo threw aside with his arrow, desperately looking for Inoue. His eyes scanned the crowd, the field of dead bodies, the rumble and specks of dying hollows.

Where could she be?

Chad was pushing back people, telling them run away but something in them kept them rooted. The hollows did not scare them and the Others seemed to fascinate them.

"Kurosaki!" Ishida yelled when Ichigo was thrown back, his massive body slamming against the floor as the large hollow wailed. Ichigo's arm was broken from the impact but he got up and shook it off. He then told other pack members to be careful and barked at a werewolf still in human form to get the humans out of here.

The hollows gave a loud wail and from the sky claws broke free and ripped the sky and from the blackness more hollows escaped. Isshin in his were form bit the hollow on his back and torn him apart. The slick flesh of scale in his mouth fluttered in balls of light.

Ichigo was racing towards the large hollow again but from his right he saw a crimson red fur. It was another werewolf, one who smelt familiar but Ichigo never saw this man in his pack before. Nevertheless, from its movement and scent Ichigo knew he was a pup, a human made into a werewolf–a true mutt in the werewolf culture.

The crimson werewolf attacked the large hollow from behind and Ichigo went for its throat. The large hollow roared in pain as one arm was ripped apart and was swept away by the wind.

Lightening blue arrows rise into the sky and fell down onto hollows' bodies. Kenpachi the vedmak from Russia was there, taking hollows down as if they were flies. The Russian wizard simply swung his wand in one direction and the five hollows dashing towards him were blown away, killed.

Tatsuki in her slender were form blocked a hollow attack that was aimed at a human child. She kicked the hollow away and pounced on it, killing it with her claws as it evaporated.

Ichigo, with the help from the crimson werewolf, killed the large hollow and with the leader dead the smaller hollows became unorganized. Many fled from the site, running back from where they came from. The rest of the hollows were destroyed before they could get a chance to run or even fight.

With the enemy gone, Ichigo morphed back into a human, a pup brought him a long trench coat to cover his nude form. Many other werewolves turned back right away, the weaker pack members cried in pain from the transformation. Ichigo didn't blame them, the Change was painful, the breaking and reformation of bones, how could one not think it was painful? Ichigo, along with his father, tolerated the pain.

"Start collecting the dead bodies. Take the injured to the hospital." Isshin spoke as he buttoned up his own trench coat. Somehow his words sparked the press and the humans back to life, "Sado! Press control!"

Flashes from cameras dazed most of them, the reporters spoke loudly and humans were a mixture of praises and angry retorts. It was many hours of fighting and Ichigo simply wanted to roar at the humans to stop their chattering and leave them to clean this mess up.

Isshin placed his hand on Ichigo's shoulder, "This is tough, I know but don't let your anger and frustration blind you. As future _Alpha _of this pack your thoughts need to be focused on the responsibility of your actions, not your emotions." Isshin sighed and squeezed his son's shoulder, "What's happening is not easy but we are able to win."

Ichigo nodded and sighed, "Yeah…yeah, you're right."

Ichigo turned around, ready to help but was shocked at the man in front of him. Renji was panting on the floor, sweating and gave a cry as the final bone snapped in place. A coat was on him as he struggled to get up; however he instead fainted on the spot.

"What?"

"We need an Others doctor over here!" Isshin yelled.

"Dad…why?"

"He asked me to…" Isshin said, "and I saw no main reason to not comply to his request."

Ishida suddenly crashed into Ichigo, he was panting and concern etched into his eyes, "I can't find her!"

"What do you mean?" Ichigo cried, confused, "Did something happen to Rukia!"

"Not Rukia-san! Inoue-san!" Ishida cried, "I was supposed to have a date with her and I forgot because of the meeting…she was supposed to meet me here and I can't find her!" He explained.

Ichigo ran his fingers through his hair, "Get as many pack members as you like, the ones that know Inoue and get them to help you find her. Remember, they need to know her so they can follow her scent."

Ishida nodded and went off to look for pack members, Ichigo went towards Renji who was getting treated. "He needs to go to the hospital…something is wrong." One of the men caring for the newly transformed werewolf said. "Now!"

"Ichigo," Isshin called out, "Go to the hospital with Renji. As a new pup he's more likely to give into the wolf's urges."

"I can't leave, you need my help."

"As _Alpha _I can't go because of this, you, as _beta,_ can. I'm ordering you to go." Isshin shoved his son away and towards the paramedics. "Go. Now."

Ichigo clenched his teeth as he took in the sight. Ash was falling from the sky; from the grey clouds one could barely see the moon and stars. Police cars closing the square in, people being taken away as there were cries and yells. Rubble was everywhere, the spot lights bright and warm in the cool night. There was blood mixed with the destruction and it looked so chaotic Ichigo briefly wondered if this was how the world was going to appear like from now on.

"_Beta_ Kurosaki!" The paramedic shouted, "We need to go!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Heard you're engaged!"

From where she sat waiting for her tea Rukia glanced up from writing in her journal and perked an eyebrow. She was in the _Supra Natural _café again, even if it was three in the morning, where she just left Ashido and wanted to prepare for the next critical move. "What are you doing here, Rangiku?"

"Been planning to see you since last month, heard you came back to Japan, again, and boom: here I am. You know you missed me, hun. Hey, I told you to call me, 'Ran.' How many times do I have to remind you?" The blond fox woman sat across from Rukia, smiling at her gleefully. "So?"

"So?"

"You're engaged."

"I got engaged this day…how did you find out?"

"Word spreads fast…" Rangiku quickly asked for tea as well, "Well, and your father told me."

Rukia stopped her writing once more and tightened her hold on her pen before she relaxed and began writing again. "He knows?"

"Wouldn't he? He's your father…but, aren't you happy about your engagement?"

"No."

The woman's smile fell and she gave a confused stare, "You're engaged to your mate, your soul mate, your one true love. Sure, he's a werewolf and probably smells like wet dog but that man has a bangin' body. Not only that, he's going to become _Alpha, _inherit this glorious hotel and one of the most respected packs in the Others society, and I'm hoping for adorable fat babies from you guys. We all know fat babies are the best kind of babies and I want to be the godmother of these fat babies!" Rangiku huffed and crossed her arms, "Why am I more excited about the future fat babies and you're not?"

"It is because I am not engaged to my mate. I am engaged to Ashido."

"What?" The energetic bubble around her was popped, grin fell and she Rukia could feel the blood in her simmering.

"It was a deal and I was part of the agreement; sorry, but you will not be getting 'adorable fat babies' from us."

"Then break that agreement!" Rangiku yelled, "I want my fat babies!"

"Indoor voices," Rukia responded smoothly, "and it is not that easy."

"How is it not easy? When you love someone, you're willing to give everything up for them, right? Is everything I know about love a lie? Or, maybe, you don't love him?"

The nymph swallowed down the angry insult and disgust she wanted to scream and kept her cool, "There are more factors to this than just love." Rukia bit back.

"Umm…," A woman sets a teapot and two tea cups down, "is there…anything else you–"

"Nothing more, thank you."

"Beat it, doll." Rangiku growled and turned back to Rukia, "You're acting selfishly. What about Kurosaki?"

"I am doing this because I want to protect him."

"From what?" Rangiku cried, "The only person causing him pain is you, Rukia."

"Did you just come here to scold me?"

"No, at first I came to congratulate you and call dibs before Momo on your future fat babies, but now I want to kick you in the face for how stupid and unreasonable you're being!" Rangiku's yell startled the other two guests at the café and the staff kept staring at them. "I thought out of everyone I knew…you'll be the one with the happy ending. That everyone and thing that is trying to keep you two apart will be defeated…but you're the one keeping you two apart. Rukia, what are you doing?"

"Do not rest your expectation of happiness on me. I do not want it. I do not need it. Rangiku, you do not understand, you do not know everything that I have learned." Rukia reasoned and she found that she needed to explain what she was doing. Explain that she did love Ichigo and she wasn't hurting him because she wanted to make everything complicated. Wanted to so much but, at the end, she couldn't it. As always, everything she wanted to say didn't leave her lips. "There is nothing I can do," She said, almost pitifully.

Rangiku slammed her hands on the table, "Bullshit! There is always something, Rukia. You may think you're saving his life but you're killing him with his love for you and your love for him." The blond stood, huffing passionately, "It's really sad that you don't _get _it, doll." She sneered, her anger crumbing down as she walked away from the Rukia.

The engine bellow of rage was evident on her face as her emotions raised uncontrollably. She opened the door to leave when there was a crash behind her. The waitress screamed and another called out, "Call 119!"

The blond woman's grip loosened and her resentment slide off of her like soap by the water of dread. Rangiku pivoted and Rukia was on the floor, the tea cup broken in many shards and the tea spilt. "Rukia!" The fox woman ran to her friend and turned her over, her breathing was shallow and eyes open, hazy and gone from their world. "Rukia!"

The nymph's lips moved and Rangiku only caught the 'sorry' Rukia said.

"Where are the paramedics!" Rangiku yelled, "Damn it! Where are they!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

When Ichigo was pushed into the waiting room at the hospital he was annoyed but understood his father's position. If Renji awoke crazed he would be called in but for now, he was a nuisance in the emergency room.

He was shocked however when he saw Rangiku there. The blond woman was sitting down; a leg was shaking as her eyes remained closed. "Rangiku-san…why?" Ichigo could only begin to worry.

The fox woman quickly shot up, shuddering, "Rukia." Was all she said and her hand flung over to the emergency doors, "Something happened."

"No…" Ichigo paled, "Damn it! Not again!" He turned towards the doors but two security guards caught him, their vampire strengths combined couldn't stop Ichigo from getting free. From the doors, however, appeared Ashido. Ashen as he saw Ichigo charging towards the doors behind him.

"Don't," Ashido began, pushing against the werewolf, "You don't want to see her!"

"What are you saying!" Ichigo growled, "This isn't time to play fiancé, let me see my mate!" Ichigo grabbed the human and threw him aside before he strode to the doors when Ashido shouted.

"She doesn't remember you!" Ashido panted, "Her memory was erased by an elixir she drank in her tea." Ichigo trembled and looked over at the human, "She was poisoned."

"What?" Ichigo wanted to storm over to Ashido and demand answers from him but the urge was crushed by a more urgent need to see Rukia. Ichigo shook his head and, once again, about to charge through the doors when another person appeared.

It was a Ryuken Ishida, the silver haired doctor glanced at Ichigo, "I need you to find your mate."

"Why would he need to?" Rangiku asked.

"Because she's missing, after you talked to her she got up and left." Ryuken looked at Ashido, giving a glare, "She must still be in the hospital, Kurosaki-kun did you–"

"Follow me." Was all the _beta _said as he ran through the emergency doors and went down corridors.

Rukia, herself, was up flights of stairs and burst into the eightieth floor. She was wearing the nurses' uniform she stole from her nurse and walked calmly down the floor. She had a broom in her hand as she marched and gave the explanation that she was new to the hospital any time a staff asked her who she was.

She did extremely well on keeping calm and when she was about to reach the far end window so she could fly away she stopped and looked through a patient's door. In the room she saw Renji, breathing smoothly and barely awake.

"Renji!" Rukia walked inside, confused as to why her friend was in the hospital but most of all why was he in Japan. "Renji…are you okay?"

The red hair man smiled at her, "I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"Promise you won't get mad at me?"

"No." Rukia said sternly, "If you did something stupid I will slap you, Renji Abarai."

"Well then," Renji coughed and rubbed the cheek, his nerves prickled him, "I became a werewolf."

"I am sorry, all I heard is 'I am an idiot.'" Rukia glared at him and shook her head, "What were you thinking when you did this?"

"The note, I wanted to be more useful to you."

"Yes, that is a terribly good reason to transform your whole life: for a note. Which reminds me: what note?"

"The…note from two days ago, Rukia. Remember? The symphony, the Espada, the note, the photos…"

"What is today date?"

"Um…Why?"

"Because after a series of questions Ashido would not give me the date or the reason why I am in here."

Renji's eyes widened and the realization beat through him, cautiously he answered her, "I think it's June twentieth."

"Year?"

"Twenty eleven." Renji looked at her confused and beckoned her to sit down. There was something refreshing about Rukia. The drawn eyebrows she had lately lifted and her forehead smooth from worries. There was the original quirk of a twinkle in her eyes. It couldn't be. "Rukia, what's wrong?"

"The last thing I remember is going on an outing with you, Kon, Ishida, and Momo. We were, I believe, going to an art exhibit called: The Sexuality and Mind. I quite remember you were very excited about that." Rukia gave a small grin, "However, that was June twentieth of two thousand and ten."

"Rukia…that was a year ago."

"I dear say…I lost a year of my memory." She scowled and her mind began to work in a excel process of deduction.

"You're very calm about this, Rukia." Renji said in a teasing manner but he couldn't hide the worry in his eyes, the tension in his body went unnoticed as well and the strain in his voice was obvious.

"Just because I look calm does not mean I am calm, Renji. I am simply thinking." Rukia played with her hands, "I lost a year…I am in Japan. I assume I am engaged to Ashido since I am wearing an engagement ring."

"You're wearing a _what_ now?" Renji took her left hand and saw the ring for himself, "The mutt asked you to marry him!"

Rukia snatched her hand back and sighed, "Renji, Ashido is far from a 'mutt.'"

"Ashido? No, I'm talking about Ichigo."

The name made her heart…flutter and Rukia became perplexed. It was as an image of a black silhouette appeared before her and she knew who it belonged to, but it was void memory for her. There but not there. The name familiar but not.

"Who?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki, you're mate."

"He is my _what_ now?" She mimicked him, purely on accident however as her eyes widened and she scoffed. She couldn't have a mate; that was impossible. There was no one out there for her and if there was…she pitied the person.

"Mate, Rukia. He's a werewolf and you're his mate."

To be her mate, she could only think of a few things much crueler.

"I am no one's mate and I believe they have given you too much medicine from the nonsense you are saying." Rukia crossed her arms and gave a glare, "However, you seem very calm about my memory loss, Renji."

The newly turned werewolf sighed and sunk into his bed, "That's because you look…so…relaxed now."

"Did I not appear relax before?"

"You were at first…you were having a lot of fun with Ichigo." Renji stopped when he realized he called Ichigo by his first name, but he found it was right. They were now pack members, his _beta_ and one day future _alpha_. "Then, things got serious; you got hurt _a lot_, Rukia. This isn't the first time you ended up in the hospital this past year. A lot of responsibility was placed on your shoulders…the humans finding out about the Others." This caught Rukia off guard from the way her shoulders tensed and her gaze sharpened. "You went through a lot, Rukia."

"Well, then, my memory issues can be handled later. Let us talk about something different before I get caught."

"Why would you get caught?"

"I left my room without permission."

"Rukia? Really?" Renji groaned, "You never change: with your memory or without it!"

"You sound so surprised but Renji, what happened to you?"

"You wouldn't understand without your memory."

Rukia leaned over, about to respond when she heard a whisper in her ears, a ghostly pamper of a kiss luring her to a stupor state. Lids became heavy, closing once to only having them opened once more to a world of gold.

The world was shades of yellow, golden mist appeared and fell from the sky. A large tree stood in the middle and from it there was a stone emblem carved in the bark. Dust of glowing golden orbs would float and when she breathed in: her lungs would filter in magic and her mind became excited.

Then, when she blinked once more she was back in Renji's hospital room. She shut and reopened her eyes many eyes, confused before she glanced over at a bewildered Renji who looked at her as if she lost her mind.

"Did you just see that?" Renji, dubious, looked around the room and back at her, convinced even more Rukia was losing it. "Stop looking at me like that." She smacked him with his pillow, "The tree, the gold…lights, and the whisper. Did you not just experience that?"

"No, you had a vision Rukia." Renji said after he realized what she was trying to describe, "This has been happening to you a lot this past year. You'll get visions and they'll show you these places that you need to go."

"Why would I need to go?" She then remembered her destiny, the encrypted dreams she had and how it tied her to her end.

"It's too complicated. It's better if someone else told you…or if you written it down somewhere."

Rukia stood up giving Renji a fright and confused him once more, but he saw her eyes. They were hard, growing colder the more her thoughts processed and a plan began to formulate. "You are right…I should have written it down somewhere." She said slowly, carefully.

Even if she acted that losing the past year was okay and she wasn't worried about, in deep truth, Rukia was more than enraged.

No mentioned of an accident.

No mentioned of illness.

No indication of her love ones here.

No reasons why she was in Japan.

Ashido and Renji acted as if she fell asleep, woke up and her memories were gone. That would explain everything. Please, she was not a fool in any respect.

"Ashido…he was carrying my journal; maybe there's something in there."

"Wait!" Renji called out but Rukia was out the door. She left the broom behind her as she strode down the hall.

If there was nothing indicating her memory lost was an accident, then it must have been planned. There were people out for her because she was an Others, daughter of a powerful man, and there were many reasons why someone would want her out of the picture.

She was her father's weakness in many opinions but Rukia promised herself and her nanny that she would not bring shame to the family name.

"_I won't be a failure in their eyes; not again_."

If there was a plan, then her journal must contain some information. That was why she got the journal in the first place: write down plans, observation, opinions, recollection of past events, facts, information, and so forth.

If her journal was here then her memory loss was no accident.

Rukia walked faster.

She needed that journal.

The nurse hat she was wearing was slipping off her hair but she ignored it and headed straight to the stairs; however, as she passed a hallway on her left the man there–she caught a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye–reached for her.

She gasped and gave a not so lady like grunt when she was pulled in a fierce embrace. The man was incredible taller than her, maybe almost–if not taller–than Renji. He smelt of a husky forest, sandalwood, and so… recognizable. The man's face was buried in her hair, arms tight around her and he said her name in such a manner she had to stop the shiver running down her spine.

Small hands on his shoulders moved to his chest and she conjured up a freezing spell, pushing the man back. She would have yelled at the man if it wasn't a group of three running up from behind him. She recognized two of the three, but it was only one thing she wanted.

"Ashido!" She passed the orange haired man, not missing the pain look but she shoved that observation back as she quick reached down for the book Ashido was carrying.

"Rukia!" Ashido said indignantly but she ignored him as she took the lock spell off the book and flipped through pages. "Rukia, don't ignore me!" He grabbed her arm, hauling the small nymph close to him.

"What were you thinking! Running off from your hospital room?" Rukia's frown deepened at the scolding she was getting from Ashido, never once had he spoken or even touched her like this. Then, again, she wondered if this was an aspect in their relationship that evolved since the last year.

"He's right, Kuchiki-san." The man with silver hair said, pushing up his glasses and Rukia immediately connected him with Ishida. "In your condition it would be better if you were in bed."

"My condition?" Rukia asked, "What condition is that, pray tell? I simply lost my memory and since none of you, so far, tried to tell me how. I will discover the truth on my own." She ripped herself free and, once again, tried to read her journal.

""This isn't the time for this. Rukia!" Ashido called out and the nymph reared around.

"Yes?" She glared at him with one of her cold, impatient glares that everyone felt ice creeping into their skins. "Are you, now, going to tell me what happened? For I see no earnests in your tone; which, tells me you are not interested with my memory lost. That, then, makes me not interested in what you have to say. In other words, Ashido, I do not care!"

"Hey, Ashido," Rangiku uttered, "since we're in a hospital, we can get some ointment for that burn." The fox woman then snorted a laugh and Rukia's own lips twitched upwards but kept in control.

"Not now!" The rest of group scolded the blond.

Ryuken gave an annoyed sigh.

The doctor not amused and impatiently waiting to get back to his job brought the attention on Rukia's condition to the group. "You drank tea that was laced with a potion that got rid of your memory. The more you drank the more memory you lost, since you only took a sip–and with your training with potions and poisons, according to your father on the phone–your body quickly rejected and went on 'survival mood.' That made you black out and you, then, lost a year of memory instead ten years if you drank the whole cup of tea." Ryuken then directed an arm to the elevator, "Now, if you please, let me take you back to your room. There are still some tests I want to run."

The nymph, herself, sighed but gave a nod. Being in a hospital room also granted her the ability to request to be alone and her guest have to accept it. Rukia, about to step away, was stopped by a gentle tug on her hand.

Glancing down to the hand, large in comparison to hers, she trailed the hand up to the tall man who just hugged her. Normally, she would have wrenched her hand free but his hand felt more than comfortable against hers. Now that she wasn't heaving in anger she paused and actually looked at the man that was overly familiar with her.

Muscular, long fingers, he wore black slacks with a red dress shirt, and his tie was absolutely horrid. Then, she noticed the solid thickness of his neck; cords were strained as she kept her gaze moving up. A heavy square jaw, stubble, thin lips, a straight nose, bright orange hair, and under two grave eyebrows were honey brown eyes with deep, dark circles.

"Rukia?"

She felt comfortable with him, her body knew him but she didn't. The touch she remembered, the scent from him and the feel of him as well. He was on the tip of her tongue, thumping namelessly against her mind, he was a stranger that she knew. The more she stared into his eyes the more perplexed she felt at this paradox.

Her mind drew blanks and she admitted that she felt awful with every passing moment. His eyes would deepen in distress, in dismay as she couldn't recognize him.

"You are?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

The heavy grip compressing his lungs along with the clogged thoughts in his throat lifted lightly as he hung his head and repeated the two words over and over again: I'm sorry.

The woman on the hospital bed gave a confused frown which quickly went to a smile, smoothly and naturally, as if she had done this many times to herself before, "Please stop, Ishida-kun. It's alright. I'm fine and I'm just happy you're so concerned about me."

Ishida gazed up at Inoue, her smile didn't settle the guilt in him and he shook his head. "I should have been there. I made a promise and there isn't any excuse for me to skip on our…date."

Inoue brushed her hair aside and leaned over from where she was stationed on the hospital bed. "Ishida-kun," She began and grabbed his hand, "I understand. The meeting was important and you couldn't leave. You're extremely reliable, you know."

Guilt was written on his face and surprise in his eyes. He struggled to continue the conversation; he wanted to focus more on her and not his job for at least once in his life. Why does his responsibility always come before her?

Inoue saw his struggle and her smile softened, "While I was waiting for you to come, I was thinking something bad must have happened with you or with the Others. Then, an Espada showed up. We only exchanged a few words, nothing remarkable but he said he needed to 'put pressure on the Others' and, then, he went and destroyed the buildings and…well. You saw the damage." Tears formed and she tried to hold back, her eyes were already bloodshot; her lids sore and dry from the tears she spilt earlier. "How bad was it?"

The elf gave a small curse and reached for her hand, gripped it tightly and his mouth stuttered lightly as he told her, "It's bad."

"If…if I had power maybe I could have–"

"It's not your fault!" Ishida interrupted, "Don't blame yourself, Inoue-san. If anything, it was my fault. If I didn't lose track of time, if I met up with you then I could have done something. I had power where you didn't…it was my fault!" Inoue kept shaking her head as she interlaced her fingers with Ishida's.

"Inoue-san…I'm–" A knock on the door cut Ishida's sentence short and he looked over as the door flew open.

It was Keigo, he was heaving out pants as he leaned over, hand gripping the knob as support. "We need you…now!"

Ishida stood up but didn't move from his spot, "On what?"

"Kuchiki-san…poisoned, _delta _was the…person, and she's dead." Keigo tried his best to say everything in a smooth sentence, "We need you now."

Ishida stood shock, "Rukia-san is dead?"

Keigo then shook his head heavily, "No, _delta_ is dead."

Ishida released a deep breath and his mind rumbled with the new information, trailing together when he felt a tug on his hand. He looked down at Inoue and guilt, once again, hit him. "Inoue-san…I'm sorry."

She shook her head and pushed him, "It's okay. I understand."

"Inoue-san…"

"Ishida, dude, we need to go!" Keigo said, standing up fully and wiping the sweat from his forehead. He glanced at his watch and frowned, "Ishida!"

"I'm going!" Ishida barked and turned to Inoue once more, "Forgive me." He, then, unwillingly took his hand back and followed the satyr.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Okay, and we're done." Ryuken pushed his glasses up and wrote numbers and notes on the clipboard he held. His patient ignored him completely, not retrieving her arm from her side as she became engrossed in her journal. "You're positively fine and in good health, underweight, however." Ryuken glanced up and annoyance showed on his face. He bent and yelled at her, "Pay attention, Kuchiki-san!" Rukia's frown deepened and she smoothly looked up at him. "As I was saying, your health is fine but you're underweight, eat more protein and healthy fats."

"What about her memory?" Ashido perked up from the back, he was leaning against the door with his arms crossed.

"That's the hard part..." Rukia finally placed her book down as Ryuken continued, "From the results from the poison, it's looking like you'll never be able to recover those memories."

"There's no cure?" Rangiku asked quietly and the doctor shook his head.

"None that we know."

"How about one that you don't know?" Rangiku reasoned, "There's many Others doctors out there, maybe…there's something?"

"I doubt it," Rukia spoke up, her eyes focusing on her journal again, "I have the taste of Ma Huang in my mouth, along with Betel Nuts…I can trace dark magic in me as well. This is a permanent spell. There is no counter spell for this."

"Why aren't you freaking out about this, Rukia!" Rangiku cried, "You just lost a year worth of memories!"

"Because I know there is nothing that can cure it…why should I linger in a past I do not know of when I can move forward?"

"Spoken like a true Kuchiki." Ashido sighed.

"You are acting as if it is a chore to be one."

"Well," Ryuken adjusted his tie and tuck his pen in his pocket, "we're going to leave and let you rest, Kuchiki-san. Everyone."

"But–"

"No, Rangiku-san. We're leaving." Ryuken said sternly, "Including you." The doctor glanced over the bulky figure in the corner of the room. Rukia glanced towards that direction and the orange haired man stood up roughly, lines on his face drawn and tired. He didn't spare her a look and walked out after everyone.

Rukia was finally left alone in her room.

The journal in her hand was worn.

She already went through the twenty pages of her writing, of vague memories, informing her of the situation that Renji mentioned earlier. While she may not remember everything from first hand she had everything in her journal.

It was factual; there were no emotions and no description of relationship between her and someone. It was all politics, relics of the Glass Orb, her destiny, reports of what she did and why she did it.

There was a timeline.

Facts. Facts. Facts.

That was all she had.

Rukia noticed she wasn't in as much pain anymore, memories of past victims did not haunt her and the whispers that once invaded her mind were silent. After reading her notes it made sense why all those tormented nightmares stopped.

Deep down, she was shocked.

Once, she thought that her life was worth nothing but being in a constant state of pain, pitting herself for not being the person her family wanted her to be, and to be haunted by the people she hurt.

She wondered how it happened. If it involved her destiny or the man that claimed to be her mate. That nagging feeling was pushed aside and she went back to reading.

Then deep inside, she was disappointed that she found nothing on a personal reference of Kurosaki Ichigo except for three short sentences at the very end. She read the short description of Kurosaki Ichigo many times and she tried to sort out many reasons as to explain her actions.

All her reasons were logical and rational, many would think her decisions making was coherent and it made commonsense. Nevertheless, deep inside Rukia felt regret and she wondered how that could be, she doesn't even remember what she was regretting.

She pressed fingers against her forehead and curled up in a slight ball. Kurosaki Ichigo, a werewolf, an enigma in her life who was compromising her mission, altering her life to such a measure that she actually had to allow her memories to be erased. He was making her doubt herself and she can't have doubts, especially involving saving the world.

Love, her love for him, might as well be an infection.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Two days later_

"Lastly, the _delta _was finally found and captured but killed." Isshin said, growling deeply as he continued, "Gin Ichimaru of Romania is the murderer. _Delta _of the _Llave Negro del Destino_ confessed Gin is part of the Espada. Gin acknowledged his involvement and escaped."

"The woman that poisoned my fiancée was killed by one of your council members?" Ashido was in the meeting room, we swirled his lukewarm tea and sighed, "Your council…is not as professional and impressive as I thought it was."

"Why is he here and not Rukia-san!" Ishida shot up; he was clearly offended and threw his hand towards the human.

"That's because I'm Rukia's future husband and I found it's best if she takes a break from this…distressing matters."

"So you decided for her." Ichigo growled.

"Naturally."

"Enough." Yamamoto voice was firm as he stood and began to walk towards the door, "Meeting dismissed." One by one they filed out from the room and Ishida briefly wondered where Rukia was.

Floors below on the ground level of the hotel outside in the warm sun Rangiku laid restfully again the lawn chair; the red string bikini she was wearing was covered by a loose shirt that went to her thighs. Rangiku sipped her ice tea happily as she glanced over at Rukia who was wearing a bikini as well, not as scandalously indecent as hers, a large white sun hat sat coolly on her head as she flipped through her journal.

A glare from her engagement ring made Rangiku scowl and turn away, focusing on her drink again. Rukia noticed the look briefly and asked in a low voice, "Not upset with me again, are you?"

The blond sucked more ice tea in her mouth, her left leg shaking slightly. "How can I when you don't remember?"

"By reminding me," Rukia went to brush her hair to the side, a habit, but she felt nothing on her side. The long curtain of inky black threads was gone and she reached up to feel the short strands of hair. It now stopped and curled slightly under her chin, brushing the top of her shoulders now and then. "You have been throwing nasty glares at me."

"Not you, just your ring…and it's useless to tell you, without your memories it would be like fighting with a doll, doll."

Rukia placed her journal down and closed her eyes smoothly and turned to Rangiku, "Try me."

Rangiku huffed and rubbed her forehead, "I basically told you…you were an idiot for marrying Ashido when you're clearly in love with Kurosaki. You said 'duty is more important' and I was like 'bullshit' and that was that." The fox woman reached for her drink and drained the ice tea, unsatisfied and demanded for another.

"Oh," Rukia heaved and turned forward again, "I thought it was something else."

The shaking of her leg vibrated to Rukia's side but that didn't stop Rangiku's insistent shaking, "What did you think I was going to be mad about!"

"You're wearing a shirt."

"A lot of people do."

"Not you, Rangiku." Rukia glanced down at her own body, skin showing because they were by the pool, but only Rukia was flashing soft flesh. Something was off if she was the one flashing smooth skin more than her blond companion. "Skin tight and skin showing clothing is your trademark and suddenly…you're wearing baggy pants, shirts, loose dresses, _long _skirts: I am not an idiot."

They were by themselves, there was no one besides them at the pool and Rangiku looked as if she was caught with a bloody knife in her hands. She looked away and struggled to pronounce words and she was stopped by Rukia's hand.

"I will wait for you to tell me; do not force yourself."

"I'm three months pregnant."

* * *

**Rangiku prego...you're suppose to get a parallel from earlier this story. If you caught it I give you two points, if you don't it's alright.**

Please review! It's super easy now but do wish you could change your "guest" username to something more personal. :

**Thank you for reading, see you next month. **


	38. Chapter 37

**All the**__**angst! I know you guys hate it, or at least some of you do, but please remember this is consider a drama genre as well. Ichigo and Rukia are the main pairing, I ship them hardcore and they love eachother, I promise. _They want each other and no one else_. **

**Also, wow, 700 reviews! Amazing! Truly amazing! Thank you all for the support!**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter 37**_

_**Smile for me, Love**_

He remembered the first day he saw her and that soft smile on her face which made him fall in love with her. Short strands of hair made from the treads of the sun framed her face ever so lovely, icy blue eyes were warm, and he remembered his own lips lifted.

She was younger than him by two years; she was five and Gin knew, even at that young age, he needed to protect that smile.

Small hands met, names exchanged, and their lives became intertwined.

He remembered the first time he felt true anger when she lost her smile, her eyes jaded and tears dripping from her eyes. She was lying against the snow, running off from her parents to play with him in the park.

She was ten at the time and he was late. A group of teenagers jumped her and hurt her. She was bleeding, hands twitching to become a closed fist, and Gin knew he failed.

When they came to get her and take her to get medical care, Gin hunted and killed those humans.

He doesn't regret it.

He remembered the first time he kissed her and felt those pouty lips against his that made him realize that he was in love with her. He was fifteen at the time, and it had been three months since they had last seen each other. He was living in Romania now, training under his mentor to become an Other Politian, and only visited the United States to see her.

They just finished going on a date; a stroll in the park, dinner, and a famer market where he bought her sweets. Then, on the way to her home, before entering her house he reached down and kissed her.

She gave him a smile, tender and it illuminated the night and his heart. She was brighter than the sun in his opinion, and she somehow always brought the best out of him.

He remembered the first time he witnessed the man that made her lose her smile. That man was holding a pink orb of light, had men around him and they were surrounding a figure on the ground. They called him 'leader', and Gin resolved to kill that man.

Later that same day he went to see her, it was her birthday and he was late, again. When he arrived, her home was empty since the death of her adoptive parents and she was silently crying in the living room.

She thought he forgot about her and he made love to her; she was seventeen at the time.

He remembered the last time he talked to her, it was three months ago. He was making her cry because he was leaving her. They made love one last time and he was gone.

The last thing he said to her was a selfish request, "Smile for me, Love."

~o~o~o~o~o~

In the lobby of the hotel Ashido, Ishida, and Ichigo were arguing loudly. Ashido was the only one whose face wasn't red from anger; he simply seemed more annoyed at being stuck where he was with the two Others.

"Once again, I say that I'm taking Rukia's place because I am her fiancé and it makes more sense for me to be there than her! I majored in politics and she majored in art history. She is not fit for the discussion."

"That's where I disagree with you! Rukia-san had been surrounded in politics all of her life because of her father, just because she didn't major in it does not mean she freezes and cry in a debate. You know that as well as anyone when you proposed to her!"

"We're talking about Rukia's fate, her future in that room and she needs to be in there." Ichigo snarled, "You shouldn't have any control over her life."

"It is barely pass tea time and you three are arguing already. My oh my, this discussion must be on an intense matter." Rukia walked into the lobby with a smirking Rangiku by her side.

Ichigo sucked in a breath when he saw her; her eyes were shining in mischief but her expression was stoic, and her hair was shorter now. Much shorter compared to the last time he saw her, her long locks that once reached her waist now reached her chin. It was a refreshing look and he gave a strained gulp at what she was wearing. A royal blue two piece underneath a sheer white robe, the pocket watch necklace that still rested on top of her bosoms, her heels softly clicked against the floors and she just took off her white sun hat.

His breath then went to his heart and it squeezed tightly when he saw her tilt her head to the side slightly and gave a smile, small and soft, to Ashido.

"I'm heading up first," Rangiku said, and before she left she gave Ashido a glare and threw Ichigo a sympathetic glance.

"I like the new haircut, Rukia," Ashido smiled at her, feeling lighter with the smile she just gave him. It was so familiar.

"With my memory lost I feel I needed to match the internal state of my mind with the physical." Rukia shrugged and gave Ishida a questioning look when he grumbled and his hand smacked against his forehead.

"Kano, this is not the time to throw complaints around!"

"Why not? I do quite enjoy being praised." Rukia's voice was playful unlike her facial expression and she clearly poked fun at the elf. "After all, I recall you once called me a pompous poodle."

Ishida's cheeks flushed, "Rukia-san, please, this isn't something to speak lightly of!"

"I really do not know why this is a big deal." Rukia sneaked a fleeting look at the tall orange haired man, somewhat irritated that he wasn't making eye contact with her. "Ashido is quite right, I do not know much of politics and it would be safer if I stayed away from the council. Who knows if there is another member who is an enemy...would you not agree?"

"Rukia-san!"

"The less they know of my actions the better."

"Master Ashido!" An elderly voice suddenly called out, and from behind Rukia the elderly man appeared with his thick mustache and an envelope in his hand. "You have a message from your father."

"Hello Giriko," Rukia greeted the man who has served the Kano's family for more than six decades.

The dark haired man with short hair and grey streaks stared at her with his good eye. He had an eye patch over his right eye while his left eye swam in brown. The thick mustache combined into perfection. The butler's pristine shirt had a dark waistcoat over it with a tiny bow tie wrapped around his neck.

"Oh! Miss Rukia, I am terribly sorry for not greeting you! Your new haircut deluded me. Please forgive me. Oh, but you are as lovely as I remember; your haircut is extremely youthful."

Rukia smiled at the elderly man, "It is all right, Giriko and thank you."

"We'll be leaving then." Ashido closed the letter he was reading and nodded at the two Others. "Gentlemen. Rukia, I will see you later tonight for dinner." He leaned down and brushed his lips against her cheek before he left with Giriko.

Rukia was flashed with his thoughts, she heard his concern about the message and a company and that was that. There was a twinge of pain but she shook it off. "That was something entirely new was it not?" Rukia commented with a scowl once the two humans were gone, rubbing the side of her head and then her cheek as she turned to them.

The orange haired man was seething and Ishida looked surprise, "Rukia-san?"

"His actions…the kiss on the cheek was entirely uncomfortable. It was something new, right?" Rukia then scoffed, "I may have forgotten my memories; however, my body still remembers. His touch was new and uncomfortable. He is trying to abuse my current state of unawareness. Then again, what should I except from the man who bribed me into marriage?"

They both gave her absent looks and she sighed, "What? You expect me to forget an entire year and believe those around me? Please, I had a journal that contained details of this past year. I know everything that happened…except for the emotional and trivial aspect of course."

Ishida's expression lightened up in relief, hope even as he glanced at Ichigo but it fell into embarrassment when his name was shouted. "Ishida-kun!" The elf blushed red as he turned and saw Inoue running to him, "Are you ready for our _make-up _date?" The bubbly woman greeted Ichigo and Rukia, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything…"

"You are not," Rukia responded smoothly, "He was telling us how he is extremely excited for your date."

"R-Rukia-san!?"

"Now please, do enjoy yourself." Inoue didn't waste a beat and dragged Ishida out the door, waving at the two as Ishida tried to loosen his tie and gave a nervous smile to Inoue.

Seconds ticked as the mated couple stood there; the female waiting and unaware, and the male anticipating. Rukia's face diminished into a gentle expression seeing Ishida being dragged away by Inoue. Truly, she never, as far as she remembered, seen him flustered to such a degree. "Must be nice," She mumbled mostly to herself but remembered the colossal man next to her. He was the same man that she bumped into in the hospital; the one who hugged her and whom she felt extremely comfortable with.

Glancing up, he was practically a statue from how rigid he appeared to be. Lips were strained and fist were tightened, she even swore he had a blush on his face when she titled her head to some extent to catch his eyes. Annoyed, she sighed and knew she didn't have time for this. Turning fully at the man she gave a polite smile, "Well, good day to you, sir." The werewolf jumped in surprise and his once tensed gaze morphed into wonder.

Rukia gave a curt nod and walked to the elevator, pressing the round button that lit up the floor number she was staying at. She opened her journal once more, determined to memorize her entire writing when a loud thud caught her attention. The werewolf stopped the closing of the metal doors and walked in.

He was scowling so deeply Rukia wondered if his face would stay in that form. She had the urge to make the comment vocal however she didn't feel it would be appropriate. He pushed some buttons and the elevator moved up and when it passed the tenth floor he stopped it. Turning around quickly he was facing the tip of her wand, "What are you doing?" She asked in wonderment, even smirking slightly.

Staring intently at the wand, he smiled at her and pushing her wooden stick down. It was a soft force behind his hand but it felt powerful for she dropped it to the ground, and Rukia briefly marveled at why she didn't do anything to stop him. It was then her more curious side of her whispered it was because she wanted to witness what this suspicious fellow would do.

The man's gaze should have made her feel uncomfortable as he tenderly took a hold of her arm and pulled her close to him. Hand reached out for hers, fingers interlacing as he bent down and met her lips, his eyes closing at the soothing sensation of the soft kiss and it sent sparks in him which then passed on to her.

There were many thoughts crossing her mind, tracking through mud of blindness. First, kissing this man felt like a breath of familiar life, air, which filtered in her. Enclosing her as she relaxed and pressed against him, as if it was a warm blanket of blank memory slots invading her mind.

It was not painful and she couldn't read his mind.

He was different and deep within her she knew him.

She knew this man.

Ichigo fingers tingled, he felt intoxicated and relief settled in him. However, he then felt her hand on his chest and quickly drew away and seized her hand, and heaved them away from his chest.

A small yelp bounced off her tongue and she steadied herself against his chest as she felt mystified that her body recognized the smell. She rose her gaze up, shocked at the sudden movement and she scowled in turn when he grinned. "You," Rukia huffed and snatched her hand back.

"Me." The werewolf said with a smirk.

Rukia gave a glare and tugged her hands behind her back, free from his grasp, as she called her wand to her and perked an eyebrow, "So it speaks?"

"I can do more than speak, if you like." The innuendo went ignored by her, "I know you well enough to know your habits, Rukia."

"Kuchiki, my _fine_ and _noble_ sir," Rukia punctuated precisely, "I do not need action from the likes of you and, please, do not kiss me again. It is quite unsightly." She stared at Ichigo a long time in that small elevator, neither moving. The dog must be rude or close to her for calling her by her first name; after all, Japanese people were extremely polite. She itched to know why and she ultimately asked him: "You know my name; so, may I know yours or should I simply call you pooch?"

The orange haired man blinked at the nickname and laughter ignited in him. She glowered and he beamed, "Pooch…that's new. You usually call me dog or a mutt."

"Both appropriate terms for a werewolf."

"I prefer to be called Ichigo."

"Oh," She said in a deep heaved as realization fell on her, smacked her, and then shook its finger in her face as if she was a child, "So you are the man that claims–"

"To be your mate? Correct."

"You seem joyful all the sudden."

"It happens when a person recognize something very important."

"Are you going to enlightenment on your sudden _revelation_?" She was circling him in the small room and he followed along.

"What you said before Ishida was dragged away, 'I may have forgotten my memories; however, my body still remembers.' It made _me_ remember that you're still my mate. You lost your memory but you still remember me through the familiarity of your body and mine. We know each other exceedingly well, Rukia. I, also, doubt that anal, workaholic attitude of yours wrote more than facts and reports in that journal of yours." Ichigo's grin was heavy and smug, he guessed right, he could tell from the look on her face. "I'm guessing there isn't anything on me in there."

"Incorrect." She answered swiftly; there was a drive inside of her that wanted to get that smug look off his face. Why was he affecting her so? "I do have something written about you in my journal." She was overly satisfied by the unguarded expression on his face. She pulled the journal open and flipped to the last page of writing:

_Kurosaki Ichigo_

_Claims to be my mate_

_Don't fall in love with him again._

She was smirking, proud to prove him wrong but when she glanced up and saw the smile on his face she was confused. "You have a creepy smile on your face: wipe it off."

"I can't," The smile widened ever more and his eyes seemed to be twinkling; he even seemed to be floating. "Thank you."

She was pressing herself against the wall wanting to keep her distance, "For what?"

"Furthering my resolve, of course," He said softly, "You never once admitted that to me."

"Admitted what?" She growled, eyebrows drawn in annoyance.

"That you love me," Ichigo said excitedly and Rukia shut her eyes as she groaned.

What did she just _do_? She didn't even know the man's name until moments ago and she confessed unintentionally. Really, she needed to be more descriptive in her writing from now on.

"Rukia," He said her name loudly and clearly, he was trying to rile her up she suspected it. "I'm going to make you fall in love with me again."

Her lips quirked up in a smile, and she steered her thoughts on her happiness towards the overly confidence werewolf and his silly declaration and not for the fluttering in her heart, "You are very delusional."

"You can call me that."

The nymph shook her head, "Your ploy will not work." He leaned back and shrugged his shoulders. He was challenging her. "I am assuming you want me to pick you above all else, what makes you think that I will?"

"I don't expect that, Rukia. I know you well enough and it doesn't matter to me. I love you." She didn't want to show it but he saw the way her mouth fell open, the small gasp she made when he confessed. "You once loved me and cruel fate took you from me; but, I'll make you fall for me again. We're meant for each other. It's destiny."

"Extremely confident, are you not?"

"One of my many flaws."

"What do you know about destiny?" Rukia's grin quickly fell from her face and the air around them grew cold, "You are right, it is one of your _many _flaws. I suggest you modify your personality before your _love_, your dear sweet heart, breaks once more."

It was Ichigo's smile that fell this time, "What do you mean?"

There was a small cot in her that swelled at the thought of harming him but at the same time she did not know him she reasoned. Why should she care of this man that once meant to so much for her. "Before I lost my memory, and my so-call love for you, I still place my duty above you...as you know." She saw his muscle tighten, "I had knowledge that I was going to be poisoned beforehand, and I took the risk. It was your _delta _who has tried to erase my memory; I read her mind and knew her plan. I informed Yamamoto-san of this and Ashido, but not you." He stood up, his heated rage clashing with her cool air, "My love for you was not that strong was it? After all, it seems I have become engaged to Ashido, pooch."

Instead of being a raging mass of lupine fluff, Ichigo swiftly placed himself next to her, looking down at her from where she stood. "You're my mate," he stressed, one hand cupping her cheeks tenderly. A storm could commence from the opposite temperature they were releasing, and his heart, already cracking, still had a strong beat. "The situation we are placed in is fucking shitty, Rukia. I'm pissed at what you did and your fucking priorities. I always lose these petty battles with you and I know you can never pick me if it's between me and the world.

"But your destiny is interwoven with mine; we are mated. I won't let you fight alone. While you're saving the world, Rukia I will save you." Her breath was cold against his lips, she was glaring at him in disbelief at what he said.

"Save me?" She pushed him back, "I do not want you to save me!"

Huffing, he stepped back in annoyance, "We had this talk before; all your opinions are rejected. I'm going to save you so you have to deal with it, princess."

"Princess?!" She was more outraged than ever, "Who do you think you are?"

"Your mate," His rejuvenated pompous attitude was stronger than ever, "I don't care anymore Rukia. I just want you to be truly happy."

"And you believe I will be happy with you?"

"I hope you will be happy with me. I really do." Ichigo brushed her hair aside, "Oh, and if that does happen, Rukia, you and I being together and happy. I hope you know that after everything you put me through. I swear you're going to make it up to me…preferably with good morning kisses." He said and she, indubiously, stepped forward and kissed him.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rangiku looked up from the television screen to a simmering Rukia who just entered the room red faced, embarrassed and confused, and more importantly, with once smoothed clothing now heavily wrinkled. The blond went back to watching the television screen, "You seem upset."

Rukia paused and took a deep breath, "Do I?"

"Yes, more so with that tone, young lady." The fox woman turned the television off and rolled off the bed, "What, or should I say who, got your panties in a bunch, hun?" Rukia gave a huff at the memory of Ichigo but frowned instead of saying anything. "I can guess."

"Then please do. You are probably going to guess right but it does not matter. I will not speak of it."

"Memory or no memory your mate still gets under your skin, huh. After all, it's obviously he can get under your clothes."

"No," Rukia said sternly at her friend, stopping any further discussion. Her scowl now rivaling her mate's as she pulled her dress on, tugging at it until it fit right as she gave her friend a glare, "That subject can and will be put off until you explain _your _situation to me."

Rangiku paled slightly and sat up on the bed, looking down at her hands and tried to form a sentence. She sighed instead and pinched the tip of her nose, "It's times like these I wish I had a drink in my hand. Now because of this…" Rangiku pointed at her stomach, "I can't."

"You do not seem that upset about it."

"Because I'm not. Since the death of my parents I never really found a reason to not drink my problems away. It was worse before I met you. I was a teenager with no family being handed off family after family in foster care. The only friend I had at the time was an on and off again boyfriend. I was failing classes and my future didn't look too bright. I drink to get drunk, that sensation of forgetting felt amazing. Like sinking into a body of water, feeling the embrace as you focus on your breathing and how your body feels. I drink to forget because everything felt painful. Now…I do have a reason not to drink. I have a baby to think about now."

"A child will not bring the happiness you seek, Rangiku." Rukia said quietly.

"I know."

"How do you feel, then?"

"I want to love this child. I'm happy about having this child and I wish I could welcome it in this world as a better woman…as a mother it deserves."

"Why does that not sound convincing?"

"He doesn't know." Rangiku said in a small voice, shame on her face as she tried to avoid Rukia's gaze, "I mean…what if he doesn't want it?"

"Ran, you do not know what he is going to think about your pregnancy. It would be the responsible thing to–"

"When we slept together I wasn't on birth control," Rangiku interrupted, her eyes glazed with unshed tears. "I…I stopped days before our 'coupling' because we were seeing less and less of each other. I thought he left me since the last time I saw him was a month before the 'coupling' and he didn't say anything to me! So, when I saw him again I knew we still love each other. Things got intense; he wasn't using protection and I knew but didn't say anything, Rukia because I was in 'the heat of passion' bullshit!" Rangiku huffed, "What did I do?" The blond woman asked herself as guilt ran over her. "I was so into the desperation of having him one last time, I forgot to tell him and I tricked him…how am I suppose to tell him that? 'Oh, hey babe, by the way, the last time we made love I wasn't on the pill and didn't tell you anything because I really wanted to make love to you one last time and I forgot. I know I'm a scam bag, immature, cruel, and etc. So, now I have a developing baby inside of me and you're my baby's daddy.'

"How can I tell him that!? I tricked him, took advantage of him. Now I'm pregnant! What have I done?" Her heart thumped against her chest, demanding to break free from her ribcage to have room to expand its muscles. "I'm one of those dirtbags," Rangiku lay against the bed, "I'm a dirtbag," Frowning deeply as she stared up at the ceiling, tears already streaming down her face. Rukia didn't say anything and Rangiku asked her, almost chocking on her words. "Are you not going to lecture me?"

"You are a grown woman and you do not need me to lecture you because it is not in my place. I do not know how you feel, I may have been in the same situation in the past; however, I do not remember it. I would not know how to feel in that situation; I do not know your feelings. Being in love…I hear it does cause people to be desperate, even crazy, I suppose in certain situations." She paused; looking lost and confused but, slowly, was brought back as she looked back to Rangiku, "We are not perfect; we make mistakes that affect our lives greatly. You are not perfect and you should not expect yourself to be perfect. You made a mistake. What is done is done. Whatever happens happen, Rangiku and I will always support you. Instead of focusing on the 'what-ifs' focus on what you are going to do."

"That was a horrible peep talk."

"I apologize; I am not good at giving 'peep talks'."

Rangiku covered her eyes with her hands and let out a large heaved of breath. "I still feel like shit…and I don't feel Ichimaru would be as understanding."

Rukia turned at the name, intrigued that she finally had a name to place on this faceless man that was Rangiku lover. "Ichimaru?"

"Oh," Rangiku rolled over, wiping her cheeks in case there were tears, "That's his name…might as well tell you my lover's name. You already know him, actually." She gave a grin, nervous and guilty at the same time, "His name is Ichimaru Gin, he's the Others representative for Romania. Sorry that I never told you." She smiled but the upward twitch of her lips fell at Rukia's shocked expression. "Rukia?"

"Ran…Gin Ichimaru is part of the Espadas."

"What?"

"It was reported to the council that he is the enemy, Rangiku."

The fox woman's mouth fell open; she trembled slightly as she searched in Rukia's eyes for the playful mirth of Rukia tugging at her lips. Instead, she saw pure truth, bleaching her soul and she felt sick to her stomach for another reason. Rangiku stood from the bed, her legs struggled to support her frame but she forced herself to step forward. The firm step resounded in her that she quickly brushed passed Rukia, muttering to the nymph, "Don't follow me, hun."

Rukia mouthed out unheard words to stop Rangiku but her voice could not support the heavy words. She shut her eyes as her friend ran passed her. "Love is but a sickness," Rukia muttered to herself.

Rangiku darted to the elevator and pressed the floor number where he was at, her head against the wall as she closed her eyes and counted to five. "_He's there. He's right there._" She told herself and scampered out of the metal room when it dinged. Outside of his door, she took the spare key out and entered the room.

Her legs finally could not support her, they softened and she cried. In the middle of the bed was a note with her name. In his rounded writing it wrote: Sorry, love.

He wasn't there.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Next Day_

"So, you feel fine?"

Renji was standing, stretching as he nodded at Isshin. His grey slacks and white dress shirt crinkled and his red hair pulled back into a flourish ponytail. The newly made werewolf took a deep breath, still surprised by the all heighten senses he now had. His nose scrunched at the new smells, and he cringed at the scent of garbage that he guessed was a thirty feet away.

"Perfectly fine," He answered to his _alpha_.

"Urges?" Isshin circled the new pup, taking out a cigarette for both him and Renji "Want some meat?"

Renji laughed and shook his head, taking the bud and lighting it awake. "Nope, I'm fine. I don't want to howl at the moon, don't want to eat a human or two, and I don't want to hump a leg."

Isshin smiled and patted Renji on the back, "Nice to know you have a sense of humor."

"Well, if I don't then my time in your pack is going to be hella boring."

"It's your pack, now." Isshin handed him a key, "You're welcome to stay in the _Supra Natural_ until you find your own place. You remember everything Ichigo told you?"

"Yeah: there's a pack member always on sight in the_ Supra Natural_, there's a hotline, I need to get inside a cage during the full moon until I control the 'beast' within me. Um, if I get hungry don't go after a human just order a very rare prime streak, and…" Renji died off, his eyes catching the attention of a person far behind Isshin. The _Alpha _gave a confused look and looked behind him. In the same café where she was poisoned were Rukia and Ashido. They were speaking and both werewolves picked up on their conversation because of their heighten hearing. Isshin immediately observed the two, grabbing Renji's shirt before he could storm to the couple.

In the window of the café Rukia held her journal, a finger between the current pages she was reading. She was listening intently to the man before her, and if it wasn't for her focused eyes one would not be able to tell from the unconcerned expression on her face. Her burgundy dress ruffled slightly as she shifted her weight, and her finger gently probed her ribbon bookmark.

After Ashido finished explaining his plan Rukia gave a curt nod. "Oh," was all she said before she went back to reading.

"Is that really it? Nothing more?" Ashido laughed lightly; drinking the warm coffee he was served. His watching caused a glare, and his pressed blue suit gave an air of casualty.

"What more can there be said?"

"Nothing, I suppose. Then, we'll be leaving in two days time. I'll have one of my men inform your father, who is in better health, that he can now take his place in the Others council again. We're going to have a wonderful time traveling the world, Rukia." Rukia looked up from her book to him again, listening to what he said and nodding at the appropriate moments. She sipped from her hot tea unafraid if there was another attempt of poison. He continued talking; mentioning parties, outings, meetings, events, galas, and so forth they would need to attend.

"Our schedule will become extremely busy before the wedding. I need to start to introduce you as my fiancée, after all." He gave a smile and she returned it, his wristwatch beeped and he almost spilled his drink. "Sorry, Rukia but I need to go."

"That is fine, I will finish my drink before heading back to my room," Rukia said, avoiding the goodbye kiss with her book, a smile and a wave.

The nymph gave a large sigh and buried her face in her journal, only hearing footsteps approaching her table. The chair was dragged back and someone sat down with a heavy plop. "Is there some way or form I may help you?"

"Yeah, how about removing that damn journal from your face, Rukia." Renji gave a huff and forcibly pulled her journal down, "Now, what the hell are you doing?"

"Drinking tea." Rukia presented her satin blue rimmed tea cup with a grin and Renji growled at her.

"Stop being a smart ass."

Rukia's grin fell and she drank from her tea cup, eyeing him over the rim. "I will stop once you stop making it so easy for me. Now, why are _you_ upset?"

"Because I remember I still need to chew your ass for not being _engaged_ to your mate, and instead being _engaged_ to that…man." Renji heaved, demanding the waiter for a beer as he passed by them.

"It's three in the afternoon."

"A perfect time for a drink in my opinion."

"I always thought you are part of the few who has the most illogical opinions."

"You're avoiding the original question."

"I prefer to call it improvising." Rukia closed her journal and tucked her ankles behind one another. She was emphasizing the Kuchiki's mask; there was no mirth and the aura she gave was cool. "Now, I will spell it out for you: I traded my hand in marriage for Ashido revealing the identity of the leader of the Espadas."

"So you became a prize in this whole _ordeal_?"

"I am treated like a prize, been told I look like a prize, I might as well act like one." She bit out, irritation clearly shown in her eyes.

The waiter stopped by and handed Renji his cold beer. The moment the bottle hit the table Renji had it in his hand and took a large gulp of it. He felt the burn of it in his throat, coughing outwards and taking deep breaths. "Why would you do this to yourself?"

"'Because destiny was thrust upon me and as much as I wish and enjoy denying it control over my life, I have no say over the matter.' That is an appropriate answer do you not think?" The air got colder around him, stopping the snarl that wanted to leave his throat. It was enough that she got that noise from the _Alpha _and her suppose _beta_ mate, she did not want to hear it from her childhood friend. "Then, how about according to my journal entries I needed this information, I gave what he wanted and I got what I needed."

"Don't get all smart on me, Rukia. I don't have time with your bullshit."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Why are you getting defensive?!" He barked loudly.

"Indoor voices, Renji." Rukia hid her scowl by bring her tea cup to her mouth, taking a slow sip to clam her boiling temper.

"Let me ask you, Rukia: without your memories, without your journal do you think this is right?"

"You know it's tiring being asked about this over and over again. Having this information consistently on my mind is stressful, and not being able to live a day without having it being brought up ten times in one hour. Everyone is thinking about it. Watching me and whispering to themselves about my life that I do not have control over anymore.

"It is always on my mind, you know with or without people badgering or throwing glances at me. However, you are not here to listen to my complains, are you?" Renji looked as if he was slapped by her, almost as if he never thought about it that way. "Well, I will give you that answer that most seeks from me. Which is overall, I want to say I do not care. My priorities do not involve me. I am working and that is all that matters. However, I feel as if I need to amuse you and explain; perhaps on a personal level." She didn't smile; there wasn't even the twitch of her eyebrow that indicated that she was becoming impatient or annoyed.

"I do not think it is right and luckily for me without my memories I have nothing to miss which makes my decision easier." The unapproachable melody she gave off was contrast to the approachable appearance of her beauty. Rukia finished her tea and looked down at the empty cup. A small collective drips of tea formed in the bottom, "My memory loss is a gift for me, and as I believe I said many times before, and if not, I am assuming I said many times before: this is what I need to continue my duties."

"So, if everything works out like you plan. What are you going to do afterwards?" Renji drowned his beer and demanded for another. "Continue on with your _deal_? You want to be with a man that bargains in midst of war?"

"The way I plan this is that I save the world; not actually survive. My survival is not a goal. However, if I do, and that is a large _if_, I do not know what I will do." Her mind quickly flashed the image of Ichigo and her face lost its impassive expression. He saw tenderness in her eyes and what he believed to be a smile before it flickered dead. "I guess…I will do what I want to do."

"What do you want, Rukia?"

"Now, Renji that is an extremely broad question with an infinite amount of answers," She gave a smile as she touched his beer, placing a motion stillness spell in the drink lasting five minutes. He took a swig and she stood, "Well, I will be leaving. I do not want to be repeatedly lectured anymore."

"Rukia," Renji growled and tried to stand as well. Instead he jerked in place and couldn't move from his seat, "Gods damnit, Rukia! This is unnecessary!"

"No, this is unnecessary," Rukia swept her hands up briefly and caused glitter and two miniature fireworks to appear.

"Rukia! Really!?"

Rukia walked out without looking back and waved her fingers at him, "Toodle-oo."

"Rukia! Come on!" Renji yelled one last time, "Rukia!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

An arm swept across the table: maps, pens, papers, and other devices were thrown onto the floor. Aizen cursed loudly and flipped the table itself as he huffed in anger. He was not used to getting fooled and his calm composure only breaks when he was absolutely alone.

With the Others now knowing his full identity moving around was going to be more troublesome. They will mostly dig up his records and they were going to find out that he had been alive for more than a century now.

His temper resided and he focused on the new position he was placed in. He straightened himself and left his office, unkempt and expecting it to be clean the moment he returned. His maids were most fearful of him; that was how he liked it.

He strode out into the tall white column hall, steps confident and composure controlled. His deal with the human, Kano, should buy him time. The two fated souls not being together was the perfect ploy he needed.

Rukia marrying Kano…that would change the story for once.

History will not repeat itself.

"Gin, report." From the shadows like a snake, Gin appeared with a smile.

"Never could hide from you."

"You're one hundred years too young to even consider hiding from me, Gin."

The traitor of the Others, Gin Ichimaru, shrugged his shoulders. His white suit barely causing any strain at the movement, "Now that they know I am part of the Espada I won't be able to give you any direct information. I do apologize for that inconvenience."

They walked together in the lone halls, their steps synched. "No worries. That _delta_ deserved death after all. Even if she did what we asked she would have talked to the Others. Now with Kuchiki Rukia's memory lost this will play out better." Aizen smiled at the new feat and then he suddenly became somber as he thought of his extended life.

"In the past when I tried to gain the orb I wasn't able because of her mate who stood in the way. Even after the holder's death her mate still continued to fight for her; resulting in his death and my defeat."

Gin listened intently, never before had Aizen spoken of the past and how he had failed to gain the Hōgyoku when he was younger. "I studied past attempts for capturing the Hōgyoku and, as embarrassing it is to admit, the correlation of my failure and past failure was obvious. Together, the holder and the protector always succeed. I need them to be apart and what is the best way in achieving that then having one married off?"

"Ah," It dawned on him, "So _asking _Kano to propose to Kuchiki-san will ensure her and Kurosaki's relationship to stop."

"Correct."

Gin' smile faltered slightly but grew again, "Will you send more messages to Kano?"

"If he has done what I asked then there will be no need for another message. The first one was completely clear. Subsequently, there is the matter with the sword."

"Ah, the Sword of Providence…how are we going to get that in our possession?"

"Gin…leave that to me. I have a plan."

They then entered a room where the Espada all sat at a table. The remaining Espada glanced up to their commanding officers. All were aloof and displayed their annoyance in various ways.

"Good evening," Aizen greeted as he took his place at the front and Gin sat at his right hand. "Now as you all know, it has been a while since all of you stretched your legs and took a stroll." Grimmjow perked at the notion of leaving the fortress. "I need new recruits and old ones that were… damaged. Now who volunteers?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia ended up not going back to her room just as she told Ashido, she instead found herself wondering down the hall where Kurosaki Isshin's office should be. There was an urging pressure in her to meet with him; she craved news of how the humans were reacting to the Others and other unimportant subject matter that they could perhaps speak of.

The plate against a door spelt the _alpha_'s name and Rukia knocked on the door. She heard a shuffle as Isshin stopped whatever he was doing and wondering out load why she was at his door.

The door opened to reveal the pleasant man with a messy suit, "Rukia-chan, were you looking for Ichigo?"

She looked confused for a moment before she connected Ichigo's surname with Isshin. Shaking her head once she gave a glass smile, "I beg your pardon, Kurosaki-san but I did not come here to look for your son. I had another…concerning subject which I wish to speak with you, if you are not too busy of course."

Laughter burned from his throat, "No! No, please, do come in, Rukia-chan! Please call me papa-san since…" He died out as he gave his own confused look, "Well, I don't really know what to ask you to call me, Rukia-chan." Moving aside to allow her to enter Isshin continued to with what he was saying, mostly blabbering to her what he envisioned life would be like if she remembered. "You were going to be married to my son, eventually, become _luna _to our pack, but now with these latest incidents." Isshin got rid of his frown and brought his smile back. "Well, it doesn't matter. Do tell me why you are here, Rukia-chan."

Rukia stiffened her lips as she analyzed what he said. The concept that she was once so close to Kurosaki Ichigo made her nervous and after that _incident_ in the elevator she was burning with questions at how close they had gotten before her memory was lost.

"I was hoping you will be able to enlighten me more on the subject of the Others revealing. My journal simply gave me the definition of what is occurring but not examples I am afraid."

Digging through his drawer as she spoke Isshin took out a file, "Here's a personal copy of newspaper clips I've saved since the unveiling. They're a prime example of how serious this is." The file was slightly protruding with newspaper clippings and she held them closely on her lap. Isshin saw there was a hesitation in her that he quickly associated with his daughters, "There's something more?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Later that night_

"I have already informed Ashido, Rangiku. You are coming with us." Clothing was flying throughout the room and landing in the newly bought suitcase that rested on her bed. Rukia's wand was being held loosely in her hands, waving back and forth at the items she needed to pack as she laid upon a fainting couch. Rukia glanced over at her blond friend who was consuming chocolate and gave her a hesitant look, "What? Did you really expect me to leave you behind?"

Rangiku stopped her intake of chocolate and moved over to the lone ice cream carton, "Of course not; I just hate ice cream and I don't know why I am eating it!" She took a spoonful and nodded her head, "So…when do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning."

The fox woman paused from shoving chocolate chip ice cream in her mouth and contemplated how to ask her next question. She, however, threw caution to the wind and decided it was not her mannerism to 'contemplate' issues. "Does your mate know?"

Rukia was so shocked at the sudden question she dropped all of her clothing. Glancing around she groaned softly and picked her clothing up again with her magic, "He does not."

"Oh, so you accept that he is your mate, Rukia?"

"Not this again," Rukia stood from her place and pointed her wand to the closet where shoes now took their place in her suitcase. "He does not need to know of my leaving through me...I am positive Ishida or even Renji will inform him once I am long gone from Japan." The wand now pointed to Rukia's jewelry and other feminine items she was not going to use tomorrow.

Behind her she heard Rangiku, unconvinced, accepting her reason and that made Rukia want to defend her decision. "There is no need for him to know; we once had something but that something is now nothing and will continue to be nothing until I deem it possible for the nothing to be something once again…which it will not happen."

Rangiku showed her hands with her spoon sticking out of her mouth, and her response was muffed because of the spoon, "I didn't say anything."

"Oh but you were thinking it." Rukia countered. From the corner of her eyes Rukia caught the digital clock and realized that she had thirty five minutes left until the call.

"Do not put words in my mouth, hun." Another muffled reply.

"Then, please, stop with those condescending looks and go pack."

The spoon finally left her mouth and was attacking the ice cream once more, "But I'm pregnant!"

Rukia zipped her suitcase this time with her actual hands and threw an annoyed glare at Rangiku. "Yes, I can see it and I am certain you can feel it; however, that does not make you useless."

"Whoa, I am going to give birth to baby, an Other baby, how is that useless?"

"Useless meaning you are going to use your pregnancy–of currently three months–to get out of packing your own clothing. That is what I mean useless."

In an impulsive movement Rangiku took another large spoonful of ice cream and stood up. "Fine." She muttered and went to leave Rukia's room as the nymph went in the restroom inspecting if she missed anything. Rukia didn't hear the click of the door closing and called out for Rangiku.

"Oh! I thought I left my cell on your table but I have it on me so…I'm leaving." The fox woman said in a tenor that Rukia could only place as nervous or mischievous.

"Rangiku, what are you doin-" The door was clicked shut when Rukia entered the main room and she calmly gave the _intruder _a glare. "Sneaking into a woman's bedroom at night is improper."

"I never was a proper guy in the first place and I didn't sneak in; Rangiku-san let me in." Ichigo smirked at the irked expression in her eyes; her lips went into a quick mocking smile to indicate that she was annoyed.

"It was not in her place," Arms crossed over her chest, "I am assuming you are here for something?"

Ichigo became serious, his eyebrows drawn as if he was debating whether or not to inform her of his thoughts. Then, he shook his head and grinned, "Nope, just wanted to see you."

The way his eyes softened when he said that felt as if there was a blast of warmth running through her system. "Then, you should be leaving if there is no point and wanting to see me is not a good reason."

"Really?" Ichigo gave a thoughtful look, "Seeing you even for a moment always seems like a good reason."

"I am engaged."

"Using that as an excuse, I see. Well then, let me respond with: you're not in love with him. To which leads me to say I can still stir you away from him and towards me."

"You deserve better than that," Rukia said and her eyes darted to his chest and back to his eyes, "You should not be my second choice and be waiting with bated breath for my return to your side. You deserve someone better than me."

"There is no one better than you, Rukia." Ichigo smiled and she caught hints of tenderness and longing, "I'm not your second choice in your heart, our souls are already side by side and that's all that matters."

"How romantic of you to think in such a manner." She said softly, "However, tell me, what right do you have to assume that you know what is in my heart?" Once again she glanced down at his chest.

"I'm your mate."

"You keep repeating that mantra."

"I admit I do, who knows, it might get through to you."

Her eyebrow perked and fingers began to itch that she couldn't help it anymore. Rukia blurted out in an annoyance as she pointed at his shirt. "Remove your shirt!"

"Well, I wasn't suspecting for us to get nude but…okay. I approve of where this may be heading." Ichigo went to remove his shirt button by button and Rukia buried her face in her hands in embarrassment.

"No, you mongrel, you have a stain on your shirt and it will be the death of me if I do not have it cleaned." He stopped and gave her a questioning look; apprehensive as if she was crazy for describing her death was due for a stain on his shirt. "Do not give me that look."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were judging me." At this Ichigo's smirk returned and resumed unbuttoning his shirt. Now Rukia was inclined to explain to him, "Here I thought you knew much about me since I was your mate–"

"You are my mate." Ichigo injected and her cheeks flushed a slight pink as she corrected herself.

"–I am your mate but it seems that I am wrong." She coughed slightly and took his shirt from his hand. "Being raised as a Kuchiki there are certain rules I was groom to follow; one of them being no stains." She lifted his shirt and gave it a shook to exemplify the horrid coffee stain on it.

"I couldn't help it. On the way here a pack member spilled coffee on me. I was happy that it wasn't hot."

"Nevertheless, a stain is a stain." Rukia argued, "When I was younger and had a nanny she would punish me whenever I had a stain on my clothing. It was not lady-like or proper and it would be an embarrassing and shameful matter if my father caught me in such a state."

"Your nanny was harsh."

Rukia nodded her head and set the shirt on her bed, with her wand she pointed and casted a spell. "She was strict, extremely so that I am traumatized by her. Seeing this stain or any stain on clothing makes me worry that she will fly in from Germany to bend me over and spank me with a ruler again." Rukia stopped herself from soothing a nonexistent pain at her bottom. When the spell cleansed the shirt she grabbed it and turned around to hand it back to the werewolf.

The sight of his eyes was intently position at her rear and a very clear blush now stained his cheeks. Rukia frowned at Ichigo, hands on her hips and her foot was tapping as she turned around. "Normally, I would be curious as to what you were thinking; however, I fear I already know."

Ichigo gaped at her clearly embarrassed at having his thoughts so easily read. "Um…I'm sorry." He said weakly.

"Oh, that is a lie and we both know it." And she was right. It was lie because he wasn't sorry for all the images that flooded his mind at that moment.

"No, I am sorry…for having my train of thought being seen so easily." He said smoothly and proudly that he found a witty response. Smirking at her gasp of insolence towards him, "But thank you for getting rid of that stain." He stepped forward and she stepped back. Ichigo felt playful and took two more steps and Rukia, still having his shirt in hand, moved away and went behind the couch calmly.

"Stop. This is the space of safety." She pointed at the space between the two, "This space will always be between us. So you will not dare get closer to me…do not even move." She huffed and, once again, pointed at the space, "The space of safety," She repeated to make sure he understood that there was a space of safety.

Ichigo glanced around and sighed, he was trying to keep his grin to a minimum but it was hard and it strained to stretch from corner to corner. "Can I sit down at least?" He asked.

Rukia gave him a suspicious look, "Of course."

"Can I put my shirt back on?"

She glanced down on his bare chest and back to his eyes in a quick motion. "That is absolutely out of the question." She answered quickly and turned away to hide her embarrassment.

Ichigo smirked and leaned back against his seat, "Rukia, you can trust me."

"No." She said quickly, once again, as she placed herself on the other side of the couch. She wanted as much room as she can have in case he tried something. "For some reason I feel this is familiar." She murmured to herself.

"You trying to create space between us is nothing new, Rukia."

Glowering, she ignored his comment, once again. "Besides trying to cause me to have a heart attack or stroke, would you mind enlightening me as to why you are here besides the first reason you gave me?"

"I can't. I don't have another reason."

"Oh," Rukia heaved, "Then, please, leave. I have packing to do."

"Packing?" Ichigo repeated and looked over at her bed where the suitcase laid, "Where are you going?" He said in a strained voice.

"Traveling the world and being introduced as the future Mrs. Kano." Rukia said and she wondered why she did. She felt she sounded bitter, her remark was bitter, and she felt anger at the motive behind her departure. She thought about telling Ichigo about her leaving but she felt she didn't have a right to do so. It was conflicting to know she was important to him and feeling she was simply being arrogant with assuming she was important to him.

He knew her but she didn't know him.

"W-when are you leaving?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head. She wondered if this was gesture he did when he was nervous or shy.

"I am leaving tomorrow night."

"That's not even twenty-four hours!" Ichigo barked, "Why are you leaving?"

He dashed up to her but she moved to the other side of the room in a panic, wand up and ready. "The space of safety!" She reminded him.

"Fuck the space of safety!"

"Language!" She sputtered and then heaved out to him in exasperation, "Oh, you can obviously disregard the space of safety since you are a man with no morals when it comes to the opposite sex and in a woman's–engaged if I must remind you–room. I am concerned about my innocence. My purity. I do not wish to be defiled."

Ichigo paused, his jaw slackened and his aggravation, all at once, disappeared as he stared at her. Then, it seemed to inflate from the base of his chest, a hearty laugh. It was deep and he bellowed out the laugh from the depth of his core, and she was baffled. Briefly, she wondered if she could dash to the door but that plan dissolved when his laughter did. He had one hand rest on top of his stomach and calmed his breathing, "You don't need to worry about that, Rukia. Like I said before, we know each other extremely well."

"It is comforting to know that your moods are not as stable as that bond you have towards me." Rukia replied in a mock gist, unsure how to answer to his sudden announcement.

"What can I say; you rile me up."

"Sadly that is the same affect you have on me." Ichigo grinned, he could see it. It was lingering in her mind, above her brows and numbing the tip of her tongue. The curiosity was growing, encasing her and finally she spoke. "Why should I not worry?"

"Because we _know _each other." He repeated once more.

Rukia took a step back once more and it was slowly dawning on her the euphuism he used. In a low whisper, shocked and angry she seethed, "We _know _each other…oh, you did not."

"Well, you helped me." He was amused as her face went from shades of anger to shock, confused, acceptance, and lastly curiosity.

"When did that happen?" She asked mostly herself in a low voice; however, Ichigo answered her.

"You were in heat and I couldn't contain myself." He said in a guilty voice, scratching his cheek. "Werewolves mates follow instinct the moment they meet. I acted on pure instinct…on my part."

"So you took advantage of me." She stated, her Kuchiki mask placed on her face once more. Ichigo felt the bitter sting of ice climbing on his feet, he glanced down a scurried away from Rukia's temper.

"Wait! You can't get mad at me for something we both consented to!" He held out his hand, showing his palm to her, displaying that he meant no harm to her. The white floor of her room melted back into royal blue. "You can get mad at me for my beastly side; since, you know, I tried to…" He trailed off, blushing in embarrassment and shame.

Rukia quickly caught on and her dark blue eyes narrowed, "Truly you are a dog, are you not." She said it as a statement more than a question and Ichigo rubbed that back of his head. "Not being able to keep your hands to yourself." She sent a blast of magic towards him which he narrowly escaped.

"Hey!" Ichigo rebutted loudly, "you already cursed me for my crime! And the first two times, I admit I initiated, but after that you were all over me! I would say more than seventy percent of the time it's you who would lure me into making love! Jumping on me, dragging me into closets, locking my office door, and you know–or knew–I have sensitive ears and would use that against me!"

Ichigo went on and on and Rukia flushed red and then deep crimson at how he described the events that would lead them into making love. Rukia discovered she might as well be called a harpy at her display of _affection_, as Ichigo gently defined it as. The more he told her about their past relations the more flustered she became. Her mouth agape, hair chaotic from her hands tugging at them lightly, and eyes glistening in horror and confusion.

Ichigo stopped when Rukia was completely red and began to sputter, "S-stop! No more!" She hissed, "I do not need to know in detail of our past relations!" She tried to sound stern and rigid but instead came out like a trembling poodle yapping at her owner. Nevertheless, she threw a vase at him, which missed, because she was still anger over the fact that he, in the heat of the moment and werewolf instinct, attempted to get her pregnant.

"Mongrel! Dog!"

"I'm sorry! I'm really am! I should have better control over my instinct with you! I admit!" Ichigo dodged more magical blasts from her, but he didn't dodge the side table she threw.

"It was extremely unnecessary and–" Rukia's mirror flashed behind her and she stiffened at the low tinkle of bells her mirror made. Her eyes stayed in connection with Ichigo who was nursing his stomach; but on the fourth ring she turned to glace at the mirror.

"It does not matter. It is in the past and I need to apologize for I must ask you to leave." Rukia stepped into the space of safety and shooed him out of her room. Standing in the hall, shirtless, Ichigo looked confused at her and questions lingered on his lips. He, however, lost those questions and instead gave her a smile.

"You are giving me that same look, again." Rukia said, lingering at the door and her right hand resting on his chest from where she was pushing him. The ringing stopped and Rukia planned on returning that call.

"What look?"

"That one," She restated but refused to describe the look. Ichigo didn't need her to anyways.

The look she was speaking of was not the 'creepy smile' he had but another. This one was filled with adoration, a tenderness that softened the golden irises into warm browns. His lips smoothed into a supple grin and his body language became welcoming.

In spite of her responsibilities, her reasons, and duties Rukia found herself, yet again, drawn to him. Hands dragged him down and feet lifted her up, making their lips meet in a blast, then flare of warmth that overtook them. The sensation of his heat melding with her frost which Rukia found new and Ichigo was familiar with; and it remained as a miracle impression both were not eager to forget.

The ringing started again but Rukia didn't hear it.

She only pulled away because she felt his hands lingering down from her waist to her hips, tugging her closer to him. Her face turned away, breathing heavily as his lips caressed her cheek and he said her name in a low whisper.

Truly, she might as well be considered a harlot from how her reactions to the werewolf were being displayed in a strongly and intimately manner.

That and she was engaged to another.

She was cheating on her fiancé and that guilt crashed onto her. Dragging her down to earth where she decided that she was, truly, disgusting.

"When are you coming back?"

"Soon," She lied. Her honesty, she hid it extremely well, he couldn't read her eyes like she could read his. His hand held her against his chest and he squeezed it.

Pushing him out of her room fully, Ichigo loosened his grasp and Rukia slipped her hand back to her side. One last lingering look and Rukia shut the door; she still held his shirt in her hand.

Cheeks pressed against the door and she heard him walk away. Grasping the shirt tightly, she briefly wondered what to do with it when she decided to transfer the shirt to a safe in the realm of magic she had. She didn't want to leave the shirt here to be thrown away but she did not want anyone to discover she had the shirt on her. Pointing her wand, it disappeared and she would deal with it later.

With a deep breath, calming her nerves, Rukia walked over to the mirror, grabbing a chair to sit on as she answered the vital call. The mirror darkened and then shined brightly, colors rippled through and Rukia was greeted with the sight of white sand desert and the starry night. The image in the mirror then bobbed and a figure suddenly appeared, upset and growling at her. "What took you so long? Do you know what I am risking just by doing this? You could have the courtesy to answer me! I don't want to die yet!"

Rukia observed the Arrancar in front of her, his name was Pesche Guatiche and he was the adopted brother of the late Nel. His head was almost completely covered by his insect-like mask, which had large mandibles and horns. His large left eye was the color yellow and his right eye was concealed by a purple eye patch. "Please forgive me. There was a little dog that needed to be redirected away from my room."

"I don't care! If it wasn't for my sister, you would have been on your own." He seethed at her.

"I apologize."

The tense silence was held by Pesche until he sighed and grumbled. "Now, listen well, princess." Rukia's inside heated at the nickname but it didn't show on her face and she kept silent. "This is the information I have conjured up for you. There is the subject of the Sword of Providence. Aizen is going to use every way possible to get a hold of that sword. Someone has to protect it." Pesche stressed, "The sword is a significant plot device in Aizen's plans."

Rukia nodded, "Is there anything else?"

"Much more, princess. There is one more person in the council of Others who is part of the Espada, unfortunately, I do not know whom. He sent Espadas here, in Hueco Mundo, to revive fallen Espada Harribel whom Aizen heavily injured after you were wounded receiving the first talisman. She is a foe that you will not want to remove your sights from.

"I understand."

Pesche then hesitated but sighed, "There is more. As you know, Aizen is the one after you. He has eyes watching you; so, please, princess, set protection wards to secure yourself when you are alone. Lastly, princess, I warn you: run."

* * *

**Thank you for reading! I know things seemed to be dragging and I do apologize for that. I'm working on it, I promise. Anyways, I hope everyone get the feeling that Rukia even without her memories want to be with Ichigo. **

**Rukia might get some shit from you guys since she is cheating on Ashido with Ichigo, she is engaged with him by force, mind you. However, I would like to ask does that make her a bad person? **

**You guys don't have to answer but please review! Thank you all and see you next month!**


	39. Chapter 38

_******Here's the next chapter, I don't want to say much but enjoy! Also, next month will mark the 3 year anniversary, right? 3 years? So, to mark the occasion I believe I will**_******try _to_**_****** release a new chapter in two weeks, and another on the first of November which was the date I started this fic.**_

Enjoy and please review!

* * *

_**Chapter 38**_

_**La Distance Entre Toi et Moi**_

Signing, filing, reading over documents was his life since she left. Ichigo glanced over to the clock and saw it was already past midnight. Time was a lost to him; he acted as if the distance between him and time were the distance between him and the stars.

Far and unreachable.

The _beta _werewolf wondered if life was really this dull. Crickets of lights would sing when he was with friends and family but at the end of the day the crickets reside and he was alone.

He did not have those phone calls from her anymore, letters or video chats they used to enjoy when they were 'actually' together. In the everlasting thoughts of his mind he wondered why she always ran away. Knowing her so well, she struggled with lacing her hand with his once the strings of fate brought them together. Her fingertips brushing his and at any moment, like a rabbit, a sudden noise of events would scared her and she would flee.

She left with a lie on her lips being a bitter promise of return and he was the fool who believed it.

The hesitant foot of hers stepped outside to only stop at the doorway where he was outside waiting for her.

Grumbling, he left his office and headed home until he was stopped by a hollow. The blessed gun he had, he willed it to morph into a sword. Long and shined black, Ichigo was used to the weight of the sword after months of training. Kenpachi even battled with him to determine who was stronger; however, they were stopped by Yoruichi who declared they were equally powerful

That did not settled well for the Russian.

Heaving the metal up, Ichigo met the hollow's eyes and attacked. Ducking under a thrown claw and jumping to avoid the tail. Ichigo sent a clean sweep of his blade through the hollow's mask, and the lump of black mass fell to the floor and disappeared.

It was truly a blur of time.

Glancing up to the moon, Ichigo knew this was the true distance between them.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Five months later_

_November 24_

Ivory walls, crown molding, golden pattern on the walls accent the elegance of the room. In the ceiling there were three large crystal chandlers that glisten in the fading sunlight. A fresco, depicting putti, a garden, and nude women wrapped in delicate cloth were pressed against the middle of the ceiling in a round, painted frame. Hanging on the large windows were heavy curtains, the room that once smelt like flowers now had the overpowering scent of a rich feast.

The long cream table was being surrounded by people, all seating in cushion light grey chairs. Women in elegant gowns and men in suits, all overly dress for the occasion of Thanksgiving. Laughter, discussion, the clinking of forks, knives, and spoons echoed in the room.

"Did you see what she was wearing?"

"Well, I have two summer homes in Prague!"

"Letting the women join us? Well, might as well put a gun to your head!"

"Mommy, I want him as my husband! Arrange it with daddy."

"Yes! My stocks have doubled since the fall of Uno Industry!"

"Red is a terrible color on him."

"Grandpapa said _I _am allowed to take the Audi!"

Such ideal chit-chat that lingered in the air, leaving those who were not absorbed in their riches a bad taste. On the west end of the table, on the left side of the head Ashido chuckled at what his father said, nodding and got his back patted heavily from the elderly man.

Ashido's grin stretched, a glass of wine in his hands when he turned his glaze over to the person sitting next to him. Hair was up in elegant curls, the supple plum color cocktail dress fitted her gently, and one long matching glove covered hand was loosely holding a wine glass. Ashido leaned over, observing her far distanced look in her eyes, jaw slacken from her normally composed self.

He attempted to catch her eyes but failed. "Rukia," He said her name and it wasn't until his fingers curled over her hand that her trance was broken and she turned her gaze on him.

"There we go," he chuckled, "thought I lost you for a moment."

"Trust me, if you truthfully lost me it would be because I do not want you to find me," She gave a soft smile to imply her playfulness. "However, I do ask for forgiveness," she said quickly afterwards and brought the wine glass to her lips.

"You're not old enough to drink, Rukia."

"Yet, I have been doing this since the age of fifteen." She rebutted, taking a slow sip from the lukewarm wine. She, however, paused when the wine coated the tip of her tongue.

Setting the wine glass down Ashido grinned at her, "Not to your taste?"

"I suppose not," More clicking of silverware, idle conversation were driving her mad, "If you excuse me, I need to go to the powder room."

Ashido smiled at her and gave her a nod, allowing her to stand and leave. She was stopped by a hand on her wrist; the grasp stopping her was the head of the table, Sir. Kano.

The father of her fiancé gave her a look and released her, giving her a curt nod before going back to his conversation about politics. Rukia left before she could glare at that man so ferociously he would turn into ice in front of his guest.

In the restroom, she dabbed water on herself to rid of the smell that clung to her. Stepping back from the sink, she then took herself in fully in the mirror. She smoothed out her dress, pulled her gloves up and brushed a lock of hair away.

Impassively, she stepped closer to investigate her face, noticing the absent of emotions herself. Hastily she made the effort lift in her lips to a true smile. Then, she tried to furrow her eyebrows but it faltered like the smile.

She kept the stoic façade on her face for so long that she now had trouble showing feeling beside calmness. Moving her fingers, her mind wandered back to her private thoughts of longing for a certain werewolf.

Five months passed since she last seen the _beta_ wolf. Summer, like the sun, sunk into the horizon and fall was soon coming to an end, making way for winter. Surprisingly, it was easier the first month she was gone. Confidently, she thought she didn't even miss the werewolf that claimed to be her mate but then that thought burst into prickles of pain and she began to miss him.

Then, missing became longing and now she craved to see the werewolf.

"Do not do this," She told herself, "Not now."

Rukia retouched herself and in the midst of applying power on her nose there was a knock on the door. "Sorry, I will be out in a moment," She called out but the knocking continued and when she turned to open the door to the hasty knocker the door was kicked open. Two hooded figures walked in, pulling out hidden blades within their robes.

"I do hope you know most impatient people would curse at the person who is taking too long in the restroom." Rukia took a step back, calculating her position, "Nevertheless, I must applaud you two at your originality."

One of the figures rushed forward, blade in hand, not amused at her indifference. The nymph calmly swayed to the left slight, catching the hand which held the blade. In a quick motion she twisted the hand which caused the bones in the wrist to give out. Her palm flew to push the figure's elbow in, causing him–male she assumed from the sound of the voice–to cry out in pain when there was another satisfied snap. He fell to his knees where Rukia promptly ran her fingers through the back of his hair, grasping tightly as she went to slam the man's forehead against the sink.

The force behind Rukia's grasp made the corner of the sink to give out, and the man fell to the ground bleeding and unconscious. Rukia's hands then went to her dress, holding it up as her leg stretched out behind her, high and smoothly, to knock out the other figure's knife.

"You are boring me, now." Rukia chastised. In a spin, Rukia grasped the extended arm of the figure–another man she guessed from the curse that escaped– position her leg steadily on the floor and flipped the over her shoulder. He crashed nosily against the wall to which prompted a now alert Ashido to come running down the hall.

The man on the floor groaned and attempted to stand up but Rukia tsked at him and shook her head, "That will not be necessary." The same leg planted firmly on the floor, Rukia sent her other foot up. It landed on the man's forehead perfectly and caused him to fall in conscious.

Ashido skidded to a stop at the entrance of the restroom, "Rukia!" The nymph looked over at him, her appearance still in place besides a few strands of rouge hair. The knight looked down at the two figures, bleeding and obviously in a deep slumber.

"I believe it is time for me to retire," Rukia smiled and stepped over the first figure. "Please, do have someone take them for questioning."

Ashido, moved from his stupor state, nodded and called over some guards. He, however, did not stay around and followed Rukia, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright?"

"If I was not then I would not be heading back to my room," She kept her smile, not wanting him to misunderstand her words as scorn instead of sarcasm. "Oh, and before I forget, please check what kind of poison was placed in my glass. The taste wasn't hidden well enough so it must have been an amateur."

Ashido stopped, shocked but glared at his guests when they walked back into the dining room. The guests all stopped their chit-chat and now stared at Rukia in fear, and only a few in concern.

She could actually taste it in the air and she wondered how scared were the humans were of Others. Without weapons Rukia took down the two hooded figures with ease and yet they were reacting as if she used magic.

"_At least they now have something interesting to gossip about._" Rukia thought.

Fingers trailed on her hand, Ashido stopped her before she ascended up the stairs to her room in the Kano's county home. "Hey, I'll take care of this, okay? I'm going to double the security for you; so, sleep peacefully, Rukia. Don't worry. I'm taking care of you."

"_I do not need you to care for me_," She thought but kept the remark back and smiled, "Thank you for the concern." Rukia squeezed his hand and as she tried to leave he tighten his hold slightly.

She turned to question him and he simply gave her a chaste kiss on her lips, she got a brief reading of his mind; of where he was going to pinpoint guards for tonight. "Good night, Rukia."

There was a bubbling of anger, guilt, and bitterness in her which she cooled.

"Good night," She responded curtly and left.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_November 12_

Lounging about in her husband's living room, the woman rolled over and took her steaming tea cup with her. Her long hair was pulled back in its usual ponytail and she wore her pajamas in comfort knowing her children were at school. The woman smiled at her husband who was hard at work tweaking whatever invention he had in hand, goggles on and hair pulled back.

"Have you heard?" She suddenly said, pulling the scientist away from his work.

"Heard what, Yoruichi?" Urahara asked as he set his device down and faced his wife fully.

"The realm is sparking with rumors and magic," She sung with a grin.

"The realm is magic and in this world…it's a rumor. You have to be more specific than that, love."

"Animals have been fleeing the forests: some are saying they are searching for an item, an object…someone." Yoruichi then sat up, tea almost spilling, "Then, the magic in the air has become denser that citizens are fainting at the pressure."

"I already know these warning signs, Yoruichi. It's common in the days before the winter solstice."

"Really? Then you don't want to hear what a little bee and birdie told me?" Grinning like a cat that was dangling a small mouse Yoruichi baited her husband. The blond man smile and dragged his goggles down to his neck, indicating his focus was fully on her.

"Well, it seems that magical creatures such as fairies, trolls, dwarves, and so forth are filtering into this world. This is new according to past memoirs involving the renewal of the earth. There is an exodus of fairytale creatures from the realm of magic and no one knows why.

"Rumor, then, has it that there is someone in the forest helping the revival...this person has the power of _storing _things away. Taking anything and anyone from anywhere and dragging them into this person's personal world." The were-jaguar noticed the subtle lift of her husband's eyebrow: he was intrigued. "I believe it was this person who tried to kidnap Rukia from her father's home in D.C. At least that is what my little bee told me. My birdie told me something entirely different."

"Your little bee, Soi Fong, is extremely reliable source but I do wonder who's your little birdie is." Urahara already took out his notebook. He was dotting his thoughts down and the rumors his wife heard.

"My little birdie is Nanao, dear. You remember her, right?"

"Ah, Shunsui-san's owner," He chuckled as he recalled the couple's dynamic. Nanao was the only one with the ability to tighten the representative's liveliness.

"Well," Yoruichi began but soon stopped, her playful expression fell, "she tells me that hollows are appearing in the realm of magic in large quantities. The warriors over there are having a difficult time killing them all, and the army is diminishing by the hour."

"Aizen is taking the war to the realm of magic."

"He's preparing Rukia's entry to the realm of magic; after all, that is where the _rumored _sacred lake is at." Urahara sat there, soaking the information in before he stood up. He took off his goggles fully, taking his hair down and placing his hat on. "Where are you going?" His wife asked.

"I'm going to inform the Yamamoto and Isshin."

'But they're rumors."

"Rumors of this extreme usually mean there is a lead, love."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_November 24_

"Any news from her?" The question was brought up lightly in the midst of a stakeout. Ichigo releasing a cloud of smoke in the cool air, he had one hand deep within his pocket as he leaned against his car. He blushed slightly, tensed while he waited for the elf's respond.

Ishida fixed his glasses out of habit before he answered the question, he also did enjoy causing the _beta _distress by prolonging the answer. It was a few seconds that felt like hours for Ichigo when Ishida finally opened his mouth and responded, "Nothing."

The werewolf squeezed his fingers, breaking his cigarette in two. "I wonder if one day your 'nothing' will turn into 'something,' Ishida."

"Who knows; Rukia-san, according to Rangiku-san, stopped talking to everyone except those who are close to her physically; that means she possibly only speaks to Ashido, Momo-san, Rangiku-san, and her father." Ishida became silent when there was a scurry of sound behind the two men. They waited, arms locked and ready to fight; however, minutes passed and nothing happen.

Ishida then resumed when they both acknowledge that the noise was nothing more than a lone rat scavenging for food. "The only thing we do know is that she's been traveling with Ashido everywhere, and Rangiku stopped tagging along when she reached five months in her pregnancy. Her father doesn't even know much about her since he stays here in Japan, the old wizard is trusting Kano to take care of Rukia. We never once got a word from her directly, and I always got my information from someone else. There isn't much I can do now."

Ichigo kept quiet, mulling over his thoughts about his mate. He worried if Rukia was eating properly, if she was healthy, and if she was happy. The summer ended slowly, and fall, like the leaves, fell to make room for winter. His thoughts were disrupted by the sounds of heavy footsteps. Ishida manifested his bow and pointed but Ichigo shook his head. From the alleyway a wolf appeared, dark maroon fur indicated to Ishida it was Renji.

The wolf barked and growled, Ichigo understanding clearly what he was saying while Ishida waited for the translation.

"We have an extra coat in the back if you want to hitch a ride with us." Ichigo told the werewolf to which he agreed by changing back into a human. Unlike Ichigo's and Isshin's smooth transformation, Renji sounded more painful from the loud cracks and groans his bones made. The grinding of flesh shifting and the cried that escaped Renji made Ishida sick.

The elf about only image how the new werewolf felt.

Ichigo grabbed the coat in the trunk and threw it on Renji in the midst of his transformation, covering the pup's modesty. "The _alpha_ asked us to return to the hotel, there's been a new development." Ichigo was already sitting in the driver seat; waiting for a moment for the other two get in.

They drove off in the middle of the night, Ichigo ignored the red lights and officers let him pass with the recognition of his license plates, and the sleeping streets of a busy city allowed them to reach the hotel in ten minutes.

His car stopped with a shriek, swerving to the side to park perfectly in front of the hotel. Isshin was outside the grand doors but he wasn't alone. The valet, an ally vampire from the hive on the other side of the city, stood on the side but quickly fell to the floor and crawled back at Ichigo's driving. The vampire looked over manically at Isshin who gave him an impish smile.

"Apology for my son's messy driving, take the night off, paid of course." Isshin grinned, "On me." That finally made the vampire nod repeatedly and he scampered off into the night, morphing into a bat and escaping Ichigo's bad driving.

"The hell was that, Ichigo!?" Isshin barked at his son; however, the _beta _shrugged his shoulder. "That was reckless endangerment of my staff and property!"

"Excitement," He said.

"Careful, pup. While you are my son I am still your _alpha_." Isshin growled and Ichigo stepped back and gave a nod.

"I ask for forgiveness." The _beta _said however Isshin did not acknowledge him and instead looked over at Ishida and Renji. The elf looked annoyed and grumbled as he fixed himself up. Renji, on the other hand, was ghastly white and confused as he stumbled out of the car. "I…think I saw my life flash before my eyes."

Ishida looked over at the maroon haired man and pulled him up, holding him steady, "How was it?"

"It was boring." He admitted.

Ichigo stared at the other two figures next to the alpha, two silhouettes which Ichigo recognized immediately. Shinji and Mizuiro stood side by side, both extremely aloof and causally waiting for them.

Ichigo overlooked Shinji and went straight to Mizuiro, he glared at his friend. Ever after five months the sting of betrayal from him clung to Ichigo's wound. "What's the new development?" Ichigo asked his father.

"Shinji and Mizuiro are here to amend past faults, or so they told me. They wanted you here before they explained their reasons here." The _alpha _stepped up to the partners, Ishida and Renji trailing behind but Ichigo did not move. He wasn't confident if he would attack his once trusted friend.

"Well, then, speak." Ichigo demanded.

"Out here?" Shinji asked. The winter night was cold but there wasn't any sight of snow yet. The clouds had kept at bay but the scent of winter made itself fully known. The subtle calm of mornings brought everyone close for heat, and the night sky flickered in the icy crystals of stars.

"Would there be a difference?"

The Alchemist shrugged his shoulders and glanced over to the rouge vampire beside him. It was under these stars that Mizuiro glanced up and asked for strength. He tugged his scarf down, not wanting his words to be muffled by the fabric. "Under this sky, Kuchiki-san is waiting," Mizuiro began, "for a miracle, a hope, a destiny…maybe you.

"I joined the Knights because they had something I wanted. Years ago, I made a deal with a demon to get revenge on a woman who murdered the love of my life, my fiancée. I became a vampire to hunt that woman, a witch, down. The witch, I found and disposed of her quickly and the Knights, a few years before I found the witch, captured and incarcerated the demon I made the deal with. That is the reason I aided the Knights, why I backed Ashido when he took Kuchiki-san from you, Ichigo. I need to get my hands on that demon.

"And I want to apologize for that." Mizuiro looked up the stars again, seeing his lover's eyes twinkling with encouragement, "The pains of being separated from your soul mate, I understand. I want out of this empty immortal life. I want to be reunited with my love where I can feel our love, taste the red of our passions, and breathe in our beating hearts.

"I cannot do that without meeting and breaking my deal with the demon. I cannot die without finding the demon that holds possession of my soul." The vampire looked down at the closed phone in his hands.

"To which is why I am here," Shinji interrupted the silence placed by Mizuiro, "My fellow friends have all died or disperse, not wanting to be found. I only have Hiyori…and she's someone I cannot lose. She got hurt during our travels and is in care with the Knights. That's how the knights got me involved… I was once a knight before I became an alchemist. I'm the one that locked that demon away, and the Knights asked me to help Mizuiro with his mission. We'll be leaving to the Transylvania in the morning."

Ichigo's eyes flickered back and forth between the two, a confused gleam coated him. He felt remorse at how he originally felt against Mizuiro. He never thought the vampire had a motive beyond wanting him to suffer without Rukia. He did not even know what to think about Mizuiro's wish for death.

After all, Ichigo had only been alive for twenty-five years while Mizuiro had been scaling the greens of the earth for more than a century or so. What was death but a peaceful slumber for a vampire?

Steering his attention on something more reasonable Ichigo pondered, "As much as I appreciate your reasons I'm wondering what does this have to do with me."

"It has to do with you because my contract with the Ashido is over," Mizuiro said, "With Shinji's help I will be able to move on. This new development now allows me to tell you some important information: on December ninth Kuchiki-san and Ashido are going on a cruise which departs from Miami, Florida. On the sixteenth they will port on they will port Madeira, Portugal."

Ichigo scowled angrily, "They're going out to sea!? When they _both _know that on the twenty-second is the winter solstices?! Rukia could easily be kidnap in the midst of that cruise!"

"Which is why I am telling this to you," Mizuiro smiled, "while you may not be able to speak with either Kuchiki-san or Ashido, you are able to gain a ticket on the cruise."

"How will that be possible? They probably have me on a blacklist."

"No need to worry about that," Shinji grinned and crackled a laugh, "I have figured that area out for you. The captain happens to…owe me a favor."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_December 9_

Outside on the top level of the cruise ship the sight of the ocean was mesmerizing. The night has overtaken the sky and in the far distance one could barely make out the lights of Miami. The city was a speck of glittering lights compared to the sea around the cruise ship. It was the first day out on sea and they left port hours ago. Everyone was settling in and most were heading to dinner in their separate class cabin.

Alone, Rukia tugged on her sheer chemise sweater as she walked quietly to the railing. The strides she took were small and restricted because of her pencil skirt. In one hand she was holding an empty cup of wine as she tried to shake off the guilt that overrode her sense.

"_Do not think about it_." Thoughts whispered to her, it might as well be its slogan.

"Oh shut up." She growled back.

Arriving to the railing Rukia pulled from her clutch a compact mirror. If it wasn't for the ringing Rukia would have probably stay inside with Ashido, meeting more of his partners and associates. They would ask when the wedding was and how long they were engaged and so on with the unnecessary questions. That, and dealing with Ashido. He wasn't please that at the last moment she turned her face to the side, having him kiss her cheek instead of her lips.

Male pride, it flustered over the smallest of things.

The compact in her hand, she pulled it open and her eyes were reflected back to her. "Show me…" Rukia began to dial but stopped as she remembered that Pesche was discovered and killed. His brother informed her of this last night. She shut the mirror and pressed it against her forehead, groaning in frustration and in grief.

"He did not deserve to die," She told herself angrily and sank to the floor.

Deciding not to call back but instead deliver a message; she opened the compact mirror once more. The image of her face blurred and became back, smoke rose from within, indicating it was ready to record. "I, Kuchiki Rukia, have become emotional compromise and am relieving myself from duty." She paused for a moment, staring at the stars, "Redirect all you information to Kurosaki Isshin from Karakura Town, Japan; pack name: _Supra Natural_." She lingered a few moments before shutting the compact shut.

The ship then rocked slightly, pulling Rukia back from her thoughts and she stood up, "Enough! Nothing will come from my moping so I might as well stop!" Rukia grunted as she threw her mirror to the ocean, hearing the satisfying plop she imagined it sinking into the cold depth.

Alone in the depth of the sea and she said to herself, in a tiny voice to which the wind was only able to her, "I do not want this."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The very energetic Momo hopped back and forth on her feet, the satin orange dress swayed with her movement. Subtleness was never a strong suit of the banshee but she was fine with it, she just hoped her now husband wouldn't be extremely annoyed with her for it.

"Why can't we tell her!?" Momo tried to whisper but it was still loud enough that the people beside them heard her.

"Not yet!" Rangiku grinned, dragging Momo away from the eavesdroppers. "If Rukia knows that we saw her wolfie here that might ruin whatever surprise he's going to use to get her back!"

"Oh, but I can't wait! They belong together!" She stressed out.

"I know! Can you image their babies!? All adorable and fat and glorious looking of course!"

"Then my future baby and your currently in develop baby can play with their future baby!"

"Then one of our babies can marry one of their babies!" Rangiku dramatically swoon, "We will all be in-laws and it will be perfect."

Momo's grinned then slipped as she tugged Rangiku to look behind her. The fox woman confused, glance back to see Ashido leaning in and kissed Rukia on the cheek before the poor nymph quickly slipped away. Leaving a flustered Ashido to deal with the guests he was around as he glanced to Byakuya who was clearly upset.

"This is too much drama for me." Rangiku growled, her dark rose dress embraced her, showing her stomach proudly, as she turned around but then turned back. Not knowing what to do until she threw her glass against the floor. The crash made Momo jump and guests around them to stare at Rangiku in alarm, "You know what, fuck it I'm going to beat Ashido up!"

"You can't!"

"Watch me! You do not mess with a pregnant woman's dream couple!" Rangiku made purposeful steps towards the human but was held back by Momo.

"Think about the baby," Momo whispered, once again, terribly.

"I am and she thinks it's time to for me to whoop his ass."

"Fine! Listen to me. Ashido is doing this because _he _is the one engaged to Rukia. What he did was correct. It's better to go to Rukia who has the decision to be with whoever she wishes to be."

The eight month pregnant Rangiku stopped waddling and gave a looks of uncertainly, "You've start speaking logically me. That scares me… and even more because you are right. Are you feeling well, hun?"

"Perfectly well," Momo growled in annoyance at the insult.

"Are _you_ pregnant?"

"No!"

Rangiku paid no heed to the growl and threw another glare at Ashido but sighed, "Okay, do what you must."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_December 11_

The first thing Ishida heard when the night began was Ichigo throwing up over the railing and into the ocean. "You're not the type to throw up…but here you are: throwing up again"

Another emptying of his stomach and Ichigo glared at the elf, "Don't judge me!"

"It's a good thing we haven't seen Rukia-san," Ishida sigh as Ichigo turned and slumped to the floor, "you wouldn't want to greet her in such a state."

"I don't care," Ichigo responded, pulling on his tie to make way for the sea air that distraughtly needed to make way into his lungs. "It's been two days since we left port and I just want to confirm that she's alright."

From the door that led to the kitchen a worker came out, "Come on you two, blokes; get your sea legs on. The party is starting and waiters are needed."

Easily leaving Ichigo on the floor, Ishida fixed his apron as he took his uniformed black mask, setting it over his face. Feeling strange without his glasses Ishida still ignored the nakedness he felt and grabbed a tray of wine.

Ichigo shook his head but quickly knew that was a bad idea. He, however, put up with it and grabbed his own mask. Another worker, human this time, gestured towards his tie and Ichigo quickly fixed himself up. He straightened his rumpled penguin suit and bow tie, tugged at his cuffs and ran his hand through his hair. A large intake of breath he ready himself as he grabbed his tray of hors d'oeuvre.

He filtered through the busy kitchen and entered the humming celebration that was taking place on the grand second floor of the cruise ship. The guests were intermingled in the interior and exterior of the reception hall. Dancing mostly took place outside while dinning was inside. Balls of lights hung low from the ceilings inside while lights were wrapped around the columns and railings outside. Drapes were suspended from the walls making the room look soft and lush. There were candles in glass jars on top every blue table cloth. Ranges of flowers, ferns, and branches of trees were liter about or bundled together everywhere.

The theme of masquerade was heavily enforced. Every single guest had some type of plastic, fabric, cardboard material covering their faces. Ichigo recognized many Others at this party from the different scents in the room. He, however, soon began to sneeze at the strong smell of perfume and cologne, food and drinks, and Ichigo rubbed his nose against his sleeve.

Byakuya was mingling and discussing with Ashido's father. Momo and Hitsugaya were socializing and even Rangiku was there annoying the young representative with Momo much to the young dragon's displeasure. Kenpachi was invited and he mostly stayed close to his daughter who was playing with the other children. The only other Others representative Ichigo found was Tōsen but he had heard Komamura was somewhere.

The first two hours Ichigo and Ishida did their job. They served and cleaned after the guests, taking note of what was missing from the buffet table to tell the chiefs. The guests were all elegant and higher class; none of them were drunk yet to the point of stupidity. Then, surprisingly for Ichigo, a large portion of the guests were even kind and grateful, polite towards the other guest and even the help. Those who recognized him would smile and keep quiet, ignoring his identity and enjoyed themselves.

When it was close to ten; when the night sea breeze was chilling but no one cared under the lights, the music, food, and dancing, that was when the true festivity began. Ichigo was about to leave the room to get more wine for the guest when he caught her scent–finally–in the air.

The werewolf turned hastily as Ishida appeared at his side, afraid that the wolf sprain or broke his neck from the unnatural speed. They entered causally into the room, Ashido and Rukia were greeted by a few smiling guests. Her arm was loop through his and the human's hand was cupping hers. "Wow," Ichigo nearly dropped his tray if it wasn't for Ishida who caught it for him. Ishida looked over at where the _beta _was staring at. Rukia was in a blue cocktail dress, a mask over her sultry eyes, and onyx hair was loose and currently passed her shoulders in long sweeps.

Ashido then tugged her away from their acquaintances and he brought her outside, over to the dance floor was when the band began to play a slow song. They talked while the swayed, she made him laugh and she responded to it by tilting her head to the side and producing a twitch of a smile.

After the song ended Rukia was asked to dance by another gentleman to which she agreed, nodding to Ashido who took her hand and kissed it. "I should be the one dancing with her." Ichigo tried to be upset but seeing her after six months all he wanted to do was go up to her and hug her. Take her in his arms and never let go; but, then again, that was how he always felt.

Now, he doesn't even know how she currently felt towards him.

"Also, I would never let her dance with another man," He mumbled.

"Your jealously is showing, Kurosaki." Ishida said and when the werewolf still didn't follow him back to the kitchen he sighed at his friend. "Don't do this to yourself, Kurosaki. We're here on a mission." Ishida reasoned, pushing Ichigo through the doors, "Stare at her all you want afterward. For now: do your job."

"You're right." Ichigo said with a sigh but he didn't move from his spot from behind the double doors. Through the circular windows, almost like a cruel miracle from this night, the crowd divided and he got a perfect view of his mate.

"What's wrong with your mate?" One of the waiters asked, "Is he perving?"

The elf looked over at the waiter and then over at the werewolf, slightly confuse at his slang but he understood the gist of what he was asking. "He's just envying the man who is dancing with the girl of his dream." Ishida responded and left to go back to work.

The waiter made a light disapproval sound, "Advice from one waiter to another, mate." The man said, "Never get involved with a Shelia that is unreachable." The waiter chuckled, shook Ichigo's shoulder before he followed Ishida to continue his job, "It just causes trouble and pain."

"What did he do to you, Rukia?" From behind the glass, the doors, Ichigo asked Rukia this question when he got a better look at her. She lost so much life, usually vibrant waves of radiance was lost in a sea of prim and proper cobalt dress. While she may flow easily on the floor like a ribbon in the wind, she was tied up against a pole instead of flying.

A hand fell on his shoulder; Ishida pulled him back and gave him a tray. "Stay out of sight and pretend to do your job."

Ichigo accepted the tray and nodded, going out again and offered drinks to the guests. Halfway through on his tray Ichigo stopped by Byakuya and his heart panicked as the American representative stared down at him–even if Ichigo was slightly taller than the wizard.

"Um…wine?" Ichigo asked in a rush tenor.

Byakuya said nothing but looked at Ichigo then over to Rukia and Ashido who were speaking to another couple. "Normally, a father would prefer his daughter to marry a man like Ashido. He is a better match with her in many professional levels over you, Kurosaki."

Ichigo gritted his teeth to keep his insults to himself, "You don't say, Byakuya?"

Grabbing the wine glass from the tray, Byakuya didn't give out his usual sign of irritation when Ichigo used his first name. Instead, he looked over at Rukia, "For my daughter's sake however, I believe her happiness would be more pungent with you, Kurosaki." Ichigo's rigid stature faltered at his words. "I am many things but foremost, I am a father and my daughter's happiness means the world to me. It is a promise I made with my wife that I would not forget Rukia's happiness. If you plan anything…I will support your position." Byakuya did not wait for the werewolf to respond to him. "So I ask, save my daughter from this bore lifestyle she _believes_ she deserves."

With that last sentence he left the confused wolf and the room to head over to dining. Byakuya, after all, heard they were serving dessert now.

Ichigo stiffened his lips, embarrassed but he cannot lie that he wasn't happy at Byakuya's words. It was nice to hear, for once, that he had the father of his mate supporting his relationship with her verbally. He scratched the back of his head, glancing at the doorway the representative left and then over at Rukia.

A sense of shock passed over him when his gaze met Ashido's. The human at first gave a confused look before recognizing him fully. His eyes widened at his presence but then narrowed as he squeezed Rukia's hand. The nymph turned at the constricting of his hand, looking up at the human. Her mouth moved and she brought her hand up, questioning his motive. Ashido looked at her and her hand, loosening his grip and apologized to her. Smiling, he took her other hand where the ring she bore was kissed by him and he then kissed her.

~o~o~o~o~o~

She wanted to congratulate herself for not having her porcelain mask break throughout the rest of the night. Nevertheless, when she reached her room she sank to the floor. Guilt's claws finally dunked her head underwater as her hand was pressed up against her mouth, firmly, hoping that her hand could erase the texture of his lips.

In the glow of the candle light Rukia blamed the force of her hands on her lips for the tear that welled out.

She felt nothing towards the human but shame took a hold of her every single time he kissed her. Tension filled her body as she wanted to march out of her room and threatened Ashido with death if he ever tried to kiss again, even touch her.

This feeling always got stronger with every kiss he placed on her since they left Japan.

It strengthened even more when his thoughts poured into her seemingly.

To know that you were not meant for someone, if there was an emotion to name it; Rukia would be feeling that sensation for most of her days. Her fingers slipped from her mouth, hand dropped to the ground and she confessed in the solitude of the room, "I am not supposed to be here with him." She cursed and landed on her side, "I do not want to be with him."

The sea gave a swell of movement, rocking the ship faintly which reinforced the trembling in her stomach. She remembered Ashido's kiss, remembered what she saw in his mind and she sighed.

Swiftly, she stood up, trying to brush off her guilt which only armored it.

"Why is he here?" She asked herself softly as she walked aimlessly around the room until she landed by the window, opened so the sea breeze could overtake her room. "He should be in Japan. Not here on the same boat as me. Are you testing me?" She asked the sky, "Because I really do not need this now."

Then, as if the wind was knocked out of her, she realized that Ashido was thinking about her mate because not only was Ichigo on the boat but he must have witness them together at the party.

The kiss was to fend off the werewolf from approaching her.

"Is this for the best?" She wondered and her question was answered as she walked to her bedside table where she had a journal resting on the cool polish surface.

This one different from the one she was reading during her short time in Japan. The one that retold her information of the Others was now destroyed since she memorized it all.

No, this one was special and forbidden.

The black leather was bonded together by a string and a spell–surprisingly stronger than the one she placed on the other journal. As a ritual since the day she left Japan, every night Rukia would sit on the bed she was occupying and read one of the many passages in the journal.

Fingertips traced the edges; she plucked the string off and dispersed the spell. Drawing her knees up, she pressed her head against the journal which rested on her knees. She took a deep breath and opened the journal; a wash of warmth filled her, a magic residue of love that clung to the journal.

Every single time she read from this book she tried to justify herself by calling this a journal when, in fact, it was more like a diary; entries of her days and feelings of one Ichigo Kurosaki. The same thoughts appeared when a photo fell out. She picked it up and unknowingly to her she smiled genuinely at the setting of the photo.

In the arms of one Ichigo Kurosaki, she was dancing. The settling was in one of the many parties they attended at the _Supra Natural_ last year. They were dancing close to one another, his hand on her lower back, hers swept across his shoulder as their hands interlaced. He was speaking, whispering something delightful from the way he was grinning and her eyes were filled with untold joys.

This scene, she never wrote about it in her journal but at the back of the photo she wrote a message to herself: _An indescribable feeling you must relive if you discover this_.

Truthfully, Rukia thought it was almost disgusting how much in love she appeared to be in this photo. She never once thought it was possible for her eyes to soften so much, to have a relax smile on her face, her body fitting perfectly with Ichigo's, and how focused she was toward the werewolf and whatever he was telling her.

The look that was transpiring between them, that adoration of tender and growing love, she saw it before.

That was the same look her father gave her mother when she was still alive.

The same look Isshin gave when he looked at a photo of his late wife.

Rukia set the photo to the side and opened her journal, and she began to read and relive a time where she could glance at what love felt.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_December 12_

It was late in the night and there was another party on the luxury cruise ship. Momo was swept in the arms of friends and unknown men, all considerate and joyful since the season has affected the wealth's behavior.

Rukia watched from her table with Rangiku; Ashido had left early to discuss business with an associate. The nymph wasn't bothered much by it but the fox woman beside her was.

"What kind of man leaves his fiancée all alone at a party, hm? Hm?" She said loudly, stressing her irritation.

"Ashido is a business man, Rangiku and he left me with you." She reasoned as she drank from her wine cup, "If I am not bother by it why are you?"

"You could and deserve better than him."

"The only way to do better than Ashido is if I got engage with a royal."

Rangiku patted her tummy when the baby moved but that didn't stop her from eating the delicious food set in front of her. "Well, I did hear in the realm of magic the king of Asoli was looking for wife."

"He is a fifty year old man, Rangiku."

"I thought we were comparing background not age." She snipped back and smiled at the nymph. "I'll say it again for you, hun since you can be dense sometimes: you could and deserve better."

"Who could be better than him?"

"I have one person on mind…tall, ruggedly handsome wolfie-man."

Rukia would have continued the bantering if it wasn't for a hand appearing in front of her. "May I have a dance?" The young man smiled at her, openly nervous which Rukia appreciated and agreed to the dance.

"Be whisked away, Rukia. It's okay…I have a big ol' bowl of strawberries with me to keep me company." Rukia glanced back with a twinkle of mirth in her eyes as the young man lead her to the dance floor.

"That was something familiar," Momo returned from her own dance, face slightly red and breath was heightened but she still caught the look Rukia threw at Rangiku. "I haven't seen that expression on her for more than half a year."

"I suppose this is what pressure does to you," The blond woman mused, "You try to succeed and during the midst of it you lose yourself…I wonder if she noticed."

"If she does then she ignores it," Momo said softly, drinking her glass of white wine.

"You're not giving her enough credit," Rangiku finished her strawberries and searched for something else to nibble on, "I've noticed you haven't talked to her."

"And you did?" Momo chuckled slightly, looking over at the dancing couple once the song ended. She was expecting to see Rukia either dancing with another gentleman or heading back to the table, but she noticed Rukia was gone.

"Where is she?" She said in a panic voice, remembering the incident at her wedding when someone tried to kill Rukia in the reception hall. Rukia had apologized profoundly for interrupting her wedding and Momo simply cried in relief that the nymph was alright.

Rangiku was scanning the room when she caught the man who asked Rukia to dance. He was heading in their direction with a worried smile on his face. "Excuse me, I am sorry for being a bother but Miss Rukia asked me to inform you two that she isn't feeling well and has retired to her room for the night."

Rangiku visible relaxed and plopped back down in her chair where as Momo thanked the young man and sighed in relief. "She's going to give me a heart attack one day, I swear."

Momo sat down and began talking to Rangiku, unaware of the pair of eyes watching her. The owner of the eyes then slipped away and entered the kitchen, catching off guard every worker but the expression on the owner's face kept the workers at bay. It was the sight of a masked waiter the owner was after, and when the masked waiter caught a glimpsed of the owner he was dragged off.

"W-wait!" The waiter stumbled to keep up, "R-Rukia–" The waiter was then pulled outside where they were alone and only in company by the stars. "What is the meaning of this, Rukia-san?"

"Why are you here?" Rukia demanded, "I am positive my father did not send you here and that you are not here to earn extra cash. So, please, excuse my ego as I assume you are here because of me." Ishida pulled back, not masking his own anger at her which caused caution within the nymph. Never before has the elf directed such anger at her. She repeated her question: "Why are you here?" Then, her mouth opened for there was something else she needed to know, "And why is he here?"

The 'he' in the sentence was the werewolf, Ichigo. They both knew it and knew the other would understand who they were speaking about. Ishida, not having his glasses on him, fixed his mask instead. "Why should I inform you?

"I need to know."

"About what? If you're just going to hurt his feelings again; put him down, then don't bother!" She was surprised at how he redirected the conversation and led it straight to Ichigo.

"You are upset with me," She noted.

"Are you surprised?!" He seethed at her.

"Yes…for it has taken so long."

Ishida's angry faltered but he tightened his grip on it, wanting to keep this emotion towards her longer.

She wasn't there when Ichigo returned to the kitchen like a whimpering pup. Lost and confused as he collected another tray and stumbled out to the party. She wasn't there to see a once firm resolve cracking under the force of pain. To see the jealous shadow that lingered over him dissolved into defeat.

"What have you done, Rukia-san?"

"I tried to separate romance from this story," Rukia gaze out to the unforgiving sea, "And it ended in pain."

Ishida's anger still bubbled within him and in a low voice he fumed, "For someone who prides themselves over their intelligence you are one of the stupidest person I've met. Questioning yourself. Controlling yourself. You say you are following fate's plan but what if you are reading it all wrong. What if you're not including it all? The orb is your fate but so is Ichigo being your mate! That was part of the plan someway and you are choosing to ignore it!" Ishida exploded at the end and quickly caught himself

Deep breaths, he soothed himself back into a stable state while Rukia examined his words. He was slightly surprised that she didn't turn away for him or tried to defend herself from his words. No, she was waiting for him to finish. She knew he wasn't done.

"Stop trying to be in command of fate and actually listen to it instead of hearing its plan." He heave out and he took off his mask, "You may guess as to why I am here and you would be correct; but, Rukia-san, why are _you _here?"

"Because I am asking where he is." She gritted out, "Where is my mate?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

The repeating tapping of his foot against the table leg echoed in the room. He took a long drag from his cigar; the red button at the end of his cigar was the only light source in the room. The smoke clung to the room and his clothing but he didn't mind the smell. It was better than the other scents people wore.

The sea, for once, was calm for him. Swishing against the ship as it pattered towards its destination. The man reflected his progress since he boarded the ship.

The captain was killed the first night and replaced by the second of command, ally to the Espada.

All the life boats, with the exception of one, were all breached and unable to sustain anything more than one hundred pounds.

The ship was rigged with explosives, waiting for the moment when his thumbs fell upon the switch.

Other allies have commandeered the nearest ships and veered them off course.

It was only a matter of time, now.

In the precise moment the mirror in his room, above the dresser, glowed in a solemn light. The dark cloud mass circulated in the mirror, slowly clearing up to show the face of a woman.

"I see they brought you back, Tia."

The blond hair woman with dark skin didn't much to twitch at what he said. The fog from the mirror gone and it could be seen that her eyes were heavy with strict professionalism. "Message from Sir Aizen."

The man stood from his seat, calmly walking over to the mirror. Unafraid at the volume they spoke, "Deliver message. Tell me: what does he want me to do?"

"Attack the ship. Attack the priestess: his patience has been strung long enough." That said, the mirror darkened, giving the man no other option but to do what was given to him.

The man shrugged and gave out his last drag of his cigar. He sang in a low voice as he left his room twirling his keys, "Ships of fate. Ships of dream. Can you hear the mermaids sing? Dragging down and dragging low. Do you see the deep blue sea?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

She would love to see some force of the unnatural making her move, making her stride away from the employee dock and toward the man who should not be here. Nevertheless, there was no outer divine power guiding her feet, pulling on that string of fate that connected her to him.

No, it was all her.

The stairs she took was empty so she ran in such a way that her nanny in Germany would get a heart attack. Rukia pulled her crème dress up with one hand, not bothering to hide her scent with a spell but instead casted a spell that would lead her to him. The butterfly blossomed from her wand, leading Rukia up to the top level where she rammed herself against the closed door leading to the top floor.

A grunt of pain escaped her, and she heard her name being called out from the other side of the door. The butterfly swept upward slightly before heading through the door to which she brace herself and opened. The door, unlike the rest of the ship, was rigid and not keen on opening smoothly.

The nymph pushed hard enough the door flung opened and she landed on her knees, the impact made a tingle of pain shot up her legs and her balance almost lost from the heels she was wearing when she tried to catch herself.

At that moment where the shooting pain made her knees weak she concluded she was drunk. She had to be for there was no other reason. The washing motion of dizziness ran over her eyes and she held still in confusion. She was never good at holding her liquor.

"Rukia! Are you okay?!" On the top floor of the cruise ship where Ichigo escaped to, the werewolf took his break without warning anyone. He was alone and his thoughts were clouding his mind when he caught her scent.

For the first time, Ichigo didn't know if he should be happy at catching Rukia's scent. He was worried and nervous but he still made his way to her as she gave a painful grunt on her landing.

He stopped before he could touch her. Nevertheless, he was about to voice his concern when she spoke with a softness that Ichigo was left perplexed, one foot stepped back to brace himself from the unknown destination of Kuchiki Rukia.

She steadied herself; stood tall and graceful as she could as she faced him, "I found you."

The butterfly of brimming white magic landed on his shoulder and dissolved in gleaming specks. Ichigo rubbed the back of his head, turning away from her. Creating space by walking a few steps away from her, hiding his hurt from her, "Well, technically, I found you first." The deep voice dragged her eyes up and she read his voice like she read a music sheet.

His stance not at all confident, hands now rammed into his pocket and he looked out to the darken sea. For the first time, it was Ichigo who didn't have the strength to look at her. "Always seems that you do find me first, do you not, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo's scowl diminished into a frown, "Of course, as your mate I'm destined to always find you, _Rukia_." Rukia bit her lip, hearing the anguish in his voice and all she wanted to do was to erase it.

"_And the blame is only belongs to me_."

They stood in silence, both hyper aware of the other but neither knew what to do. Ichigo was gritting his teeth, holding his anger and hurt inside of him but, in truth, all he wanted to do was sob and break things. Frustration overtook his mind but he muffled the screaming voice as his heart tried to obliterate that image of Ashido leaning in to kiss Rukia.

It was that image that commenced the plucking of his resolve of _being _with Rukia. The possibility of not having Rukia in his life after the event of the winter solstice had never crossed his mind as a reality until now. His heart still on the ground, beating rapidly and desperately as he dragged it behind him; not ready to have it enter his soul.

"I…I should not be around you." She said, her voice was steady even the pressure of her heart, "I should be running in the opposite direction."

"Why aren't you?"

"Well that is mostly because I am a Kuchiki: I do not run away." There was a shiver in her voice and a hint of a smile in her expression unlike him whereas his frown deepened. She was confusing him again. "The other motive is that I do not want to run away from you because I want to find a place where our reality is able to collide with our dreams." Ichigo turned his head to the side, hearing her clearly but he didn't want to jump to any conclusions. He saw her adjust her own mask over her eyes as she cleared her voice and she turned to the sea.

"There are many reasons as to why I need to stay away from you, and I promise none of these reasons are involved with politics, my up-bring, not even Ashido, nor my memory lost. I cannot tell you the reason why I left, why I drank the poison but believe me it was for a good reason. A very good reason. What I did to you…" She stopped, nervous more than anything else being under the gaze of this werewolf. "I am able to tell you I did it because I loved you. Now, with the absent of my memories, you, somehow, are the only thing that truly makes sense." She began to choke over her words, "Everything–the prophecy, Espadas, the _glass orb_–does not seem real but _you_ do. I do not know my feelings for almost everything that is happening but I do know my feelings for you, and I just want to be with you and only you."

Ichigo was now facing her, he took off his mask as he stared at her fully. He felt his body was expanding, his lung with filled with something more delightful than air. "Rukia…"

"Please: stop." She raised her hand, feeling as if her words were not strong enough to emphasize her feelings. "You have spoken so much promise to our relationship while I stood idly aside and let you speak and I am sorry for that." She choked out, "I am sorry I let you carry the pain by yourself.

"I know this because I wrote it down in a personal journal." She gave a pathetic chuckle, "Even back then I knew I would not be able to stay away from you. However, now I need you to stop and listen to me because I do not want anymore misunderstandings between us, Ichigo." It felt that everything depended on these words she was about to say to him. The pressure swelled tears in her eyes, but she held back from the droplets.

Ichigo moved to comfort her but she narrowed her eyes, stopping him. "I may not remember you but I read about you." She met his gaze and held it, "And I believe those past feelings have resumed its place in my heart again and I know it will always stay there. These feelings I have will only blossom for you, Ichigo."

Words genuine to the core Ichigo still felt there was more she wanted to say but he read her feelings easily through her eyes. One moment he was questioning himself and the universe, keeping his body from expelling every emotion he wanted to, and now _everything _made sense.

So easily he saw that she still, somehow, loved him and he was straining to not move or to float away. Letting her finish, letting her say whatever words she was going to say before he went up to her and embraced her.

So, they stood and Rukia was terrified with how she was feeling being in front of this man whom she does not know beyond the pages of her diary. Knowing she was going to admit these feelings vocally made her anxious. The words have not departed from her lips; however, the weight of them forced drops of tears to fall from her eyes…and his.

He smiled through the tears as she gripped her dress, pushing down her fears and telling him the one thing she had been hiding within herself since she met him again.

"I apologize…but I want to fall in love with you again."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Momo trailed behind, eyes glaring and before her victim could enter the restroom Momo dashed in and dragged her victim back outside in the top level of the cruise ship. Hiding in a shadow area where there were no dancer, Others, or humans.

"Explain!" Momo seethed.

"What are you doing, Momo?" Rukia pulled herself free and gained her balance once more. One of her heels was dangling by the wrap around her ankle while the other was lost on their way here. Rukia pulled her feet free from the strap and worried the hot red mark left behind.

"No! What are you doing?!" Momo screamed and Rukia covered her ears at the high pitch screech. Momo blushed and shut her mouth, "Sorry about that." Rukia gave a glare and Momo noticed her appearance, "Hey…you're lip stick is all smudged, and your clothes are wrinkled, and your hair is messy."

Rukia immediately redden and Momo squealed as it dawn on her like a bird suddenly defecated on her head, "You saw him! You did! I know you did. Your eyes are all gleaming-like!" She stopped the spastic flaring of her arms and brought her hands to her mouth in a gasp, "Did you do it?"

"N-no!" Rukia stuttered, "Nothing of the sorts."

"Well, it looks like you did a little something-something," The banshee inquired but the nymph smoothed her hair out and looked away. It was heartwarming to notice that she was glowing, not as much as the pregnant Rangiku who seemed to be like the sun wearing cute dresses. No, Rukia was a more subtle gleam, blushing easily and looking supple even if her eyes were slightly swollen from the earlier waterworks.

"So?" Momo chimed but Rukia stiffen her lip. Not answering the question and preferring to ignore Momo's teasing nature. Momo rolled her eyes and, instead, asked another question: "Are you two together, then?"

Rukia became rigid at the question but slowly unwind her muscles and glanced around slowly, not wanting anyone to hear what she was about to say. "No…not really but I–"

Stopped at the sudden tug on her hand Rukia fastened her mouth shut as Momo stared at her left hand. "Where's your ring?"

The heavy weight on her left ring finger was gone and it felt that Rukia was free from the earth's weight. She took her hand back and moved her ring finger slowly, "Prior to meeting with Ichigo I placed the ring back in Ashido's room and waited for him there and apologize for not being able to marry him."

An air of delight presented itself on Momo face, her voice almost breathless, "So it's officially over?"

"In a sense that I cannot marry him for I believe he deserves true love and I will not be able to give him that since…" She died out mostly due to embarrassment but regain herself quickly, "I have someone. I, also, apologize for my infidelity. I have kissed Ichigo more than once during my relationship with him and I could not bear to cheat on Ashido. No one, does not matter what, deserve to be deceived."

Momo clenched her teeth in angry, not understanding Rukia's train of thought. How was she to be blame, it was, after all, Ashido's fault for taking advantage of Rukia's vulnerability in the council and situation. "You shouldn't be apologizing! You did nothing wrong! He forced you into marriage! He used your lost of memory to take advantage of you! It was all him and he doesn't deserve _true love_ for what he did!"

"He does."

"He's a scumbag."

"In your opinion he is but that is because you simply do not understand the situation,"

"Then, make me understand!"

"All in due time," Rukia smiled, "Do not jump to conclusion, Momo. I want you to trust me when I say that Ashido is not a bad man; a stupid one, perhaps, but not bad. He owes many apologizes and I do as well; however, all in due time. Preferably soon but I grantee you, Momo, this blurred impression will soon become logical. Have some faith and take a leap."

Momo seemed convinced but Rukia could still make out the annoyance of the situation in her eyes. "Fine…but you better not let me drown."

* * *

_**Thank you for reaching this point and I hope some of you are pleased with what just happen. I know I dragged it out and I promise you it's not because I love angst (in fact I hate it) but I do find it necessary for the characters in my fic.**_

Review and, maybe, I'll see you in two weeks. 


	40. Chapter 39

_**Happy Anniversary to "A Glass Orb!"  
Happy Halloween!  
And I hope everyone on the East Coast of the US is doing well.**_

_**Thank you to those who read my story. Thank you to those who have been with me since the beginning. Thank you to those who supported me. Lastly, thank you to all of my betas throughout the years. **_

_**Enjoy.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 39**_

_**Memories**_

It would be unique to me and comforting.

It would be a blast of light in a large dark canvas of nothing. A snap of reality appears as a fantasy in my mind, but I know this scene of family and friends around me once was real.

Other times, a light would flicker on but then disappear and in its place would be swirls of glistening air, gleaming softy in trails of light. Almost like a dance, the whirl of air sweeping across the canvas, and then more would appear. Overtaking, colors expanding, shapes defining, and pigments becoming sharper and everything is clear.

Then, there are times where my memories enter me like a warm aroma in a room. I can feel the mixture of memories brushing in curling drifts of clouds in my mind. Settling in like a heavy fog, hazy but recognizable the more I enter.

I am having one of those moments right now; I can feel the memories dancing in small rotations into my mind. As she's dancing with her fiancé right now I'm remembering a time where we danced with one another. It was earlier on when I first met her, when she was still apprehensive about me, and I remember it was one of the few times she relaxed around me before she knew she was my mate.

I don't remember what we were talking about; I wish I did because I made her laugh. Her laughter was loud; it didn't echo in the room and caught everyone's attention. No, it was loud enough that I only heard her, her shoulders would shake and she was close to tears, and…I can't remember what I said since all I truly cared for was that smile on her face and that look she gave me.

She never looked at me that way before and it was then I knew I'm in love with her.

She doesn't remember me; she lost her memory. The recollections of those months together gone the moment her lips touched her poison.

Nevertheless, I remember.

It almost feels like my memories were dreams but I know they were real.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Momo and Rukia were walking along the deck, Rukia's face now absent of any make-up after she cleaned herself up in the restroom. They talked over matters of little importance but it felt relieving for Rukia.

Light, airy conservations were welcoming for a change.

It was not close to midnight yet and the air had gotten colder, denser and Rukia was wondering if it was possible for her to get hot chocolate. The rolls of sweets bouncing in her mind halted when Momo suddenly pondered loudly: "You said 'in a sense,' Rukia."

They stopped in the back of the deck, but their feet shuffled lightly as Momo grabbed Rukia's hand and they danced to the faint music from below. "I did." Glancing down at their feet Rukia was careful where she stepped; she was more used to the structure mannerism of dances while Momo freely rocked with ease. "I will not marry Ashido but I do need to stay by his side for the time being."

"Why!?" They drifted apart, twirled and joined once more.

"These reasons I am not able to tell you."

"Again with those vague answers…maybe I should ask Rangiku," Momo grumbled impatiently but almost sarcastically as they turned, bowed and stopped. Rangiku knowing a secret meant that someone else also knew the secret. The fox woman was never one to keep a secret for more than an hour.

In this event, it was Momo who knew about Rukia and Ichigo via Rangiku. Rukia still questioned herself as to why she kept going back to Rangiku to present her bags of secrets knowing that the fox will take the bags and show them to another. There were moments where telling Rangiku a secret felt like a guilty pleasure she couldn't control.

"It is quite sad if you do since she does not know, for once, and why would you want to know such a thing?" Rukia smiled smugly which was evidently unsightly of her.

"We've been trying to get you two together since Ashido asked you to marry him," She said defensively, arms crossed and she delicately moved a piece of hair away from her face.

"Normal friends would support your decisions."

"Yeah, but best friends will call you out on your bullshit and try to do what is best for you because we care." Rukia stepped back from her suddenly fierce friend and Momo stepped forward, "Now spill your guts."

"Oh, can you not ask a nicer way for me to tell you what happened?"

"I'll make you deaf if you don't."

"Lovely," Rukia sighed and debated how to start her explanation or if she could redirect this conversation; however, she was wonderfully interrupted at the sounds of footsteps. They paused and Rukia absently wondered if her interrupter was leaving; however, it seemed the goodness of the universe was looking down on them. Momo and she waited but the steps got closer and a voice called out.

"Is anyone there? Are you alright?" From the shadows appeared Tōsen dressed in his suit and he had a white linear mask.

"It is just us, Mr. Tōsen," Rukia responded, throwing a glance at Momo who gave a dramatic whoosh of air and smiled blushingly. The nymph raised an eyebrow at her friend, scrutinizing her actions.

"Ah, Miss Rukia it is a pleasure and is there someone else with you?"

"Yes, I'm Momo!" A hand pressed against her cheek, bashful even if the man could not see.

Tōsen then gave them a charming smile, "I am presuming you are Hitsugaya's lovely new wife."

"You're presuming right," Momo giggled as Tōsen who bent to grabbed Rukia's hand and kissed it did the same with hers.

"Would it be polite to ask what are you young ladies are doing here? I believe we're close to the railing for the sea is deafening at the moment." Tōsen turned his head to the side, hearing the ocean clearly, "Sounds exquisite, however it is still dangerous for you two to be here by yourself. It is quite late and I hear no one else here…or am I mistaken?"

"Oh, you're not!" Momo giggled, clearly liking the representative, "Rukia and I just wanted to catch a breath of fresh air. It was getting stuffy for us in there."

"I can understand; however, I still want to warn about the possibility of falling into the ocean. It's quite cold and without anyone else here I'm afraid something might happen and there may be no one to help you two young ladies." Tōsen smiled at them, showing his sincerity.

Momo visibly swooned and it was Rukia who added to the conversation, "You are completely right." Above Rukia's hip, on her soft crème dress was a small pocket in which she patted out of habit and felt the content inside.

"Yes! But with you here we're safe, right!" Momo exclaimed, eyes shining and she ignored Rukia's warning pinch on her arm.

"Perhaps," The low deep tone that came from Tōsen shocked Rukia, Momo thought he was teasing, but Rukia got the same feeling of when Gin spoke to her.

Then, the sea breeze once crisp with salt and open air evaporated into magic. The dense scent of it, the lush and rushing sensation, this pure condensed magic only materialized from the realm of magic.

Rukia's felt a pain, a scorching fire on her hands, feet, and back. She glanced down and saw the white tattoos she received light up, bright and glaring. While she read about this in her journal experiencing it for the first time in her new mind set casted fear upon her at the unusual phenomenon happening within her body.

Momo noticed the light as well and her eyes widened at the sight, "Rukia!"

The moment Rukia turned to look over at Momo; Tōsen reached out and grabbed Momo by the throat. Rearing her up and off her feet and in his voice coated in vengeance and power he told her, "We need that last talisman, Miss Rukia."

Not even a sound escaped Rukia when the man sent a blast of magic through Momo before he threw her overboard. There was a large splash that Rukia was sure she heard but briefly wondered if it was her mind that made the sound. It was exactly midnight and she could be sure, the clock on board of the ship blared out in the midst of the party down stairs. Engulfing them in the loud dings, obscuring the splash and the party as Momo went under in the abyss of the sea.

Tōsen turned from Rukia and began to walk away at the sound of Rukia's foot meeting the railing, and he titled his head back when he heard her body meet the cold sea's aching skin, "What a stupid woman."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"What is it, Renji?"

The afternoon sun was at the highest and the snow was gently falling outside. In the _Alpha_'s office, the new werewolf pup stood still in the middle of the room. Facing the seated _Alpha _who was tinkering with a mirror which kept fading into black but never fully connecting to whoever was trying to speak with the _Alpha_.

"I think…it's time for me to inform you why I asked for the curse."

Isshin stilled his fingers and glanced up at the red haired man, "I thought it was because you wanted to get stronger."

"It is…but there is more I believe you have the right to know."

Letting go of the tools in his hands: the magnifying glass and tweezers, the _Alpha_ leaned back against his chair. Stretching an arm out, Isshin indicated the seat on the other side of the desk for Renji, "Sit."

The werewolf pup was hesitate, his hands grabbing the chair's frame and he paused before pulling the chair back and sitting down. Renji looked to the side, mustering the strength and figuring out how to carefully word what he had to say.

Isshin waited, he didn't even sigh or groan at how long it was taking Renji to speak. Renji closed his eyes and let out a slow breath, "The night of the missing pills for the werewolves, the night of the full moon. Rukia and I were attacked at the concert we went to. We got a message which we were threatened not to discuss upon unless we want to see…the deaths of some friends."

"Then why are you telling me this?"

"Because Rukia is going to be taken to the realm of magic and the Espadas won't be watching us anymore."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia braced herself as she entered the unforgiving sea, gasping a large breath of air at the numbing cold temperature. Submerged in the water Rukia's mind stopped in shock as the earlier feelings of buoyancy left her and her once airy dress dragged her down in its heavy fabric.

It was the scorching flames of pain coming from her markings that woke her up from the tremor. Rukia's mind escaped its slumbering agony and was only able to feel the water soaking into her legs and she began to remember reasons as to why she never goes into the ocean fully.

First thing first: she hated the ocean.

Hated everything in it.

Hated sea cucumbers the most for they were creepy to look at.

Hated when the moon was out and controlled the tides.

Hated the salty water that would flood its way into her nose and she could taste it in the back of her throat.

Hated what it did to her against her will.

It was then the blinding pain of her legs and parts of her hips throbbed under the sea's effect that made her cry out and lose her train of thought.

The cracking of her bones, splintering into pieces and then crafting itself into new shapes and forms left Rukia choking on water as she gasped for air. Rearranging her internal organs as it pleased; blood vessels, nerves, and so forth moving. Then, it was her skin that retracted and in its place grew scales. The pain abruptly stopped and eyes shot open and all she saw was darkness.

Swimming up Rukia only heard the swishing of waves around her as she floated among the surface. The blaring of the cruise ship horn caught her attention briefly. She watched as it moved away and she screamed as loudly as she could, "Momo!"

Rukia swerved around, not seeing her anywhere, "Momo!"

Thrusting her hand out of the water, Rukia called for her wand. The dried wood slowly absorbed the wetness from her hand and Rukia dunked it under. "Ilumina!"

A shot of bright light, almost as glaring as the sun, filtered down and as it did Rukia saw a shadow of a struggling Momo. Diving down with the tip of her wand lightened as well, Rukia swam to a sinking Momo.

Momo was still.

Not responsive to Rukia's touch, and with the air within her Rukia pulled Momo close and connected her lips with hers. Their mouths molded open and Rukia breathed air into her unresponsive body. Rukia pulled away from Momo, watching in the shallow meek of water Momo's eyes blinking open. Quickly, Rukia grabbed the banshee's arm as Momo gave a hysterical thrust at recognizing Rukia.

The nymph brought them up quickly and Momo, awaken from her own distortion, struggled to swim upwards. She unconsciously clutched onto Rukia when they broke the surface, seizing Rukia in her arms in fear of drowning.

"Momo: stop! Mom-Momo I got you!" Rukia used great effort to keep them both afloat without having Momo trying to drown her in the process. "Relax!" Rukia screamed at her and the banshee did.

She was breathing hard and tears were in her eyes, "W-what just…what just h-happened?"

"Mr. Tōsen…he threw you over." Rukia said, her voice shivering from the cold and their breath visible to the both of them even in the darkened night. Glancing around once more, Rukia saw the ship further away now. She used her wand to create a surface for Momo, it was made of ice but that was the best she could do. "I…I know it is cold but," Rukia paused at the scorching pain of her tattoos, "you have to g-get on."

Momo nodded and got on with the help of Rukia, "Your legs…"

"I prefer to call it a tail at the moment."

"They're glowing," Momo managed as she used both of her hands to grasp the edge of the floating ice block and even if it was cold it felt much better being on something solid than being in the water when she couldn't swim.

Rukia glanced down at Momo's claim, narrowing her sight at the tattoos wrapping around her extremely long, muted white-silver tail like vines. They glowed brightly in the similar fashion of the tattoos on her wrist and chest. Moved across her tail as if they were alive, glowing eerily in the dimmed ocean.

"Look at that," Rukia breathed out, resting her head on the chunk of ice, her dress heavy and infuriating. "Momo…your purse?"

The banshee thrust her arm up in a smooth movement, showing the small cross body purse she hadn't let go even in the threat of death, "M-my gift to Shiro-chan is in here!" She exclaimed loudly, "Death and w-water cannot make me part with it!"

"What is it?"

"N-necklace."

Rukia reached for the purse, asking softly to her, "I need the p-purse…please?"

Momo smiled and nodded, taking the box that contained the necklace and stuffing it in her dress, next to her heart. "Purse is a-all yours."

Rukia took the wet bag and emptied it; then, from the pocket of her dress she took out the two talismans and golden keys she now carried with her at all times. She placed the items in Momo's purse before placing it securely next to Momo as she dived under and escaped the confinement of her clothes.

She, however, kept her gloves on.

When she resurfaced Momo was looking up at the sky, catching few stars between the clouds, "Naked?"

"T-thought I might as well fit into the part of a sea nymph."

Normally, that would tug a smile on Momo's face but she instead gazed intensely at the sky, "That b-bastard…" Momo cried out before glancing at Rukia who had the purse across her body, weighing down slightly but it was tolerable, "I thought he was all c-charming." Rukia said nothing and Momo's angry dispersed into pessimism, "W-what are we g-going to do?"

Rukia glanced back at the ship further away now but still close, "Get their attention." Arms were resting on the ice block and she moved one to point at the sky, "After three s-shots…scream bloody hell."

The fireworks that Rukia sent off were loud; all three were bright and colorful. Piercing the sky and outshining the stars and ignoring all the clouds. It was after the fireworks were shot in the sky Rukia dunked her head under the water as Momo released her scream. While Momo's scream did not affect her, Rukia, who was underwater, cried in pain as the vibration blasted into her eardrum, and she was momentarily delusional at where she was.

The shriek came to an end and Rukia felt Momo's hand dragging her up, "Sorry….again."

Rukia was shaking heavily now from the combination of being slightly deaf and the bitter ice of the water. She was also slightly paranoid from the underwater sea creatures. Rukia never did enjoy sea food. Nevertheless, the witch pointed her wand up and shot even more lights into the sky. Some, now, resembled a flare, fireflies, fireworks, floating lanterns, and so forth.

Momo then proceeded to shriek.

It was after five more attempts that a spot light from the ship began to search the waters. Rukia continued to send lights and when the spot light hit Momo who began to wave frantically Rukia relaxed; her wand dissolving into magic as she rested her head against the block of ice.

Tears of relief filled Momo the more she waved, "T-they found us! We're going to be saved! We're not going to die! Rukia…"

The once restful nymph looked up at Momo, her own eyes glazed and confused at the terror in her voice. "What is it?" Momo wasn't looked at her. She was looking at something behind Rukia.

Rukia hoped it wasn't a shark.

She attempted to turn around but Momo grabbed her, "Momo?" Frantically, Momo clawed at Rukia's skin, dragging the sea nymph out of the water. "Momo!?"

It was the last sound the Momo heard from Rukia when a dark mass attacked. It threw Momo nearly off the block of ice and the banshee desperately clung to the solid surface. In the full second where the sea was roused from its sleep and roared at the disturbance, across the slab Momo's frantic eyes watched as she screamed for Rukia. The dark mass wrapped around the nymph's body and dragged her down.

The sea, uncaring towards Rukia's possible death, used large waves to settle back into its dream.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Hitsugaya searched across the floor, peering around for his wife as he asked those he recognized her whereabouts. The last he seen her was with Rangiku and Rukia while he was speaking with an associate. He sometimes wondered if leaving his wife alone with those two would be wise.

Rukia, at first, seemed like a well bred woman, smart and polite, but once that illusion dissolved you recognize Miss Rukia was a sharp young woman keen on keeping one on their toes. It was her quick tongue that always made him weary; he had a hard time keeping up in the battle of wits with her and, personally, does not want that trait of the witch to rub on Momo.

Then, mischief took form of Rangiku. Even pregnant the fox woman was cunning and willing to play tricks and pranks for laughs. If it wasn't for Rangiku's good nature and intentions, Hitsugaya would have already asked Momo to stay away from that woman.

Then again, who was he to ask such a thing to her? Momo can barely handle him asking her to change the shade of lipstick she liked to wear on a daily base. While wearing a bright pop of pink on her lips made her happy it pestered him since she would kiss him goodbye before he left for work.

Once, he entered the office with pink lips because of her. It's been months and he was still called the 'Fruity Dragon' in his office.

Weaving through the sea of people Hitsugaya recognized a representative that just entered the reception room. Calmly he strolled up to him, "Tōsen, I apologize for the bother but have you seen my wife, Momo?"

The representative for the Continent of Africa paused, annoyed at being stopped but he hid the expression and turned. There was a slight clench in his chin that Hitsugaya noticed but he assumed it was the motion sickness from being on a ship.

Tōsen plastered a comforting smile towards the young dragon, "No, I must apologize for I have not seen your wife since I am blind."

Hitsugaya blushed and stuttered as he apologized, "N-no! I didn't mean like that! I was- well still am, looking for my wife and-and I was just wondering if you–"

Tōsen gave a hearty laugh, "I was, as they say in America, pulling on your chain, Hitsugaya. I understood what you meant but, sadly, I have not _seen _your wife however I did hear she went somewhere…refreshing with Miss Rukia."

"'Refreshing,' like the restroom?" He pondered.

"Perhaps," The smile was becoming strained, "Well, I must get going and if I _see_ your wife, I will inform her you are looking for her."

"Y-yes…thank you." He said softly, notwithstanding the embarrassment of being misunderstood and possibly insulting the representative. "I will continue to look for her, thank you." Tōsen smiled well heartedly and left the young man to search for his wife.

It was possibly ten minutes later when shouts of excitement and astonishment were being produced from the outside deck. "Fireworks!" A guest shouted, "Look!"

Hitsugaya quickly pushed his way to the deck, believing his wife to be outside with the rest of the guests. It was a delightful surprise to the guests who slowly filled the outer deck to watch the blossoming lights. They were amazed at the fireworks; the three large and beautiful flowers in the sky.

At this moment Ichigo, who was being teased for his persistent grin, stalled his return to the kitchen at the distance whizz of the fireworks' ascent. Ashido who was looking for Rukia stopped his search at the first boom of light. Byakuya looked suspiciously at the display, confused for he did not read this in the evening description. Rangiku, who stayed inside to avoid the crowd, reminiscent a past love.

After the three, however, came a cry. Loud and erupting, most of the guests wincing at the sound and Ichigo gave a whine as he dropped his tray to block the sound.

There was silence.

People were pale and confused at the sound but the dragon stood tall and stiff at the sound.

"Momo…" Hitsugaya fearfully said.

~o~o~o~o~o~

There were more whirling of lights but now they were different. There were lights appearing as flares, fireflies, and so forth following by the same screech of anguish.

In the haze of people, humans gaping at the sudden change of this once pleasant event Ichigo felt a pit in his stomach. He was cleaning the broken glasses he dropped, placing the shards on the tray. The shine reflection was what warned him that something was wrong. It was in the pit of his stomach, heavy and ample inside of him.

He would love to shake it off but he knew his gut, his heart pounding and when he picked the tray of broken glass he knew he needed to move. Promptly he dropped the tray on a table and he went on a desperate search for Rukia. He called out for her before he bumped into Rangiku.

He apologized, asked if her baby was fine and after she confirmed she was fine twice he asked if she had seen Rukia.

"First Captain and now you…" She died off, worry tightened in the gleams of her eyes.

"'Captain' as Toshiro?" Ichigo barked in worried, "He was looking for his wife?"

"Yeah…she was with Rukia."

Ichigo, without a word, went out to the deck, clenching his teeth at the screech that came from the sea. He slammed against the railing and turned around, "Everyone inside!" He yelled, "This is an Others' investigation! Everyone inside! Move!"

Ishida caught Ichigo's words and even if he didn't know what was happening he quickly shouted at the guests. Flashing his badge he recently gained, "Attention everyone, please return immediately inside! There has been an incident and we need you to all return inside for the time being!" Ishida yelled, quickly being given a microphone, "Attention guests; I ask you to return inside at this moment!" Finally understanding the elf, slowly but surely, the guests filtered inside. Workers of the cruise and Others undercover as workers appeared to push the guests inside swiftly.

The deck was less crowed as many went back inside and Ichigo used this opportunity to yell for Rukia. Rangiku lingered as her own fox senses twitched and caught the floral scent. "Upstairs…" She said and grabbed Ichigo's arm, shaking him as she pointed up, "I got her scent! Upstairs!"

Without questioning her he dashed his way upstairs, hoping she was there when he caught her scent as well and Momo's. He followed the scent, taking steps two at a time. Busting into the top deck he was met with an empty floor, clashing sounds of tides, and the missing women's scents.

"Where?" He asked himself, the sea breeze whirling the scents across the deck blurred the trail, but then there was a short concise of stillness and the trail was shown. In the midst of going to his destination he saw an object on the floor; it was a heel that belonged to his mate.

Ichigo grabbed the heel without entering a complete stop and sprinted rest of the way in a panic. "Rukia!" He yelled when he got the end of the deck, far away from bright lights and isolation. It was there he found another of Rukia's heel laid forgotten and it sunk into him as he remembered her once telling him Momo couldn't swim.

If it was Momo in the water, she would have drowned by now.

The lights must have been from Rukia.

The cries from Momo.

They were in the water, Rukia was in the water.

Below him he heard Hitsugaya roar loudly his wife's name. Ichigo ran to the front of the deck and swung over and dropped down easily. His feet met the floor loudly; causing most of the Others guards who were directing guests into the reception hall to swiftly look over at him.

It was quick; however, the moment he stood up Hitsugaya ran passed him and towards the edge of the ship. The cry was heard once more and the dragon knew it was his wife. Prior to hitting the railing in a blare of white he transformed effortless into a dragon and flew out into the sea.

Ashido was nearby, in sight as the dragon flew off and he looked over at the lights and he ran to find a worker. "Man overboard," he told the employee that they had someone in the water, "Inform the captain and the medics! Blankets! Hot drinks! Hurry!" Angry wallows of fear shot inside of him, and Ashido turned to watch the elf fight against the werewolf as spot lights were quickly called upon, and were gliding across the water searching.

"Stop! You'll be killed!" Ishida bellowed out as he frantically held Ichigo back from jumping into the water. "If she's in there, Hitsugaya will save her along with his wife! Kurosaki! Stop!"

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled repeatedly trying to free himself from the pesky elf.

"She'll be saved if she's there!" Ishida argued and when the struggling did not stop he pushed at the werewolf and stepped back before sending a punch to Ichigo's face. The _beta _stopped and Ishida muttered, "Of course you'll pay attention when violence starts." He grabbed his friend's shoulder, glasses that were on his face as he held the werewolf's gaze slipped slightly. "Hitsugaya will save her if she's in there. You jump you will cause more trouble instead of fixing it. Are you listening?" Ichigo gulped, chest pounding painfully but he nodded.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Rukia!" Momo only had one leg fully on the block of ice, the rest of her body tried to climb on. "Rukia!" The cry was loud and the sobbing rocked her chest as she gasped for breath. Uselessly she floated, feeling the harsh vibration of struggling from below that she concluded was coming from Rukia.

If she dared to sink into the water to help she would drown, unable to will her body to float and swish through the water, and so she decided to scream. Hopefully, that way help will come faster and Rukia could be saved. Heart thumping she took a deep breath and she only squeaked out a cry. She tried again but her throat felt frozen and rigid, only an inevitable sound that sounded like a duck.

It was scary. She was so scared that it immobilized her.

How could Rukia do this? How could Rukia push away the fears of death and thrust blindly into danger. How did Rukia have the courage to ignore her fears and fight?

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Whimpering, minutes passed and her hair and clothing that were not in the water began to harden. Frost was covering her and she stopped feeling anything in her fingers and feet. Energy was drained from her body and slumber was beckoning her as she sniffled. There was nothing for her to do but wait on the slab of ice.

Time to time she would call out for her husband and whimpered for Rukia to return.

The movement of water beneath her stopped and Momo's hopes for Rukia fled her heart. Rukia perhaps was waiting below the water for her aid and she couldn't move because she was terrified. Fighting alone in the dark, knowing that there was someone she knew who was able to reach out and aid her, but never once seeing that hand. "_Does she feel I abandoned her? Does she feel betrayed? Oh Gods, I hope she does feel something._"

It hurt to cry from the icy chill of the water but she did agonizingly, and as her eyes became heavy and her breath shortened she felt something like steel rods enclosing her.

She thought it was death finally taking her body to the other side and she asked, begged that it doesn't take Rukia. It lifted her and wind slapped her cheeks roughly before she was placed gently on a surface, cool to the touch but much more welcoming than the block of ice she was on.

Warm hands pressed against her cheeks and she felt confused. Wasn't death supposed to feel cold? Momo heard her name being called in an array of shouts. A large cloth covered her form and the same hands that touched her cheeks pulled at her clothes. Discarding the materials and leaving her nude under the cloth that was slowly warming her up.

She was muttering; someone shouted and the owner of the hands growled. Eyes struggled to open and in the small slit of vision she saw her husband.

"Momo?" Hitsugaya, naked and under the sheet with his wife, requested her attention. Rangiku pattered up, carrying clothes for the both of them since Momo's were wet and Hitsugaya lost his in his transformation.

Tears welled freely, sobs now felt warm and she pointed to the sea, "Ru-Rukia," She choked out and Hitsugaya's eyes widened.

The dragon shook his head, "No, you must have imaged it; I didn't see her." Hitsugaya looked up at the _beta _werewolf who was looking out to the sea, trembling. "I didn't see her," Hitsugaya repeated.

"Un-underwater," She sobbed.

Ishida, Rangiku, Byakuya, Hitsugaya, and Ashido all snapped their gaze at Ichigo. The werewolf stood with a far off distance in his eyes, facing the sea and he felt nothing and heard nothing. The tides moved slowly as he was lost in the muddle stream of his mind. The violent nature of the sea and traces of its power would appear in his thoughts.

Hands pulled on his shoulder. He lost the sight of the sea and looked into the eyes of the elf. The elf's mouth was moving, and Ichigo tried to make out what he was saying but all he heard was the pull of silence shrilling.

Ishida turned away from the shellshock werewolf to face the wizard, "Kuchiki-san!?"

"We need a boat…lights, a wetsuit! We need to go in the water and search for Rukia!" The wizard shouted angrily, "I need these things ten minutes ago!" Then, from the water blasted a runt of light into the night sky; it only flickered a glow in the distance that resembled the red light on top of a far off radio tower.

Thundering footsteps surprised them all, Rangiku screamed as the werewolf tried to launch himself up and over the railing. Stopped from his attempt to dive into the water Ichigo sneered at the grand wizard, "Release me! She needs my help!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Don't you look down," Tatsuki commented as she passed the auburn woman a can of soda. "Would it be alright if I ask why?"

Inoue grabbed the can, feeling the smooth cool texture of it before she sighed. "Well…I feel annoyed."

"Annoyed?" They stopped walking and Tatsuki faced her best friend, "With whom? Your boyfriend?"

"Yes," She said loudly and took it back, "No."

"Then, the situation?"

Inoue stiffened her lips but sighed sadly in acceptance, "It's weird. I feel, just…for once, I want to be rescued. The damsel that everyone wants to save and protect, and it's awful. I shouldn't be thinking this. I should be grateful that I live such a…almost peaceful life. I should be concerned with the rest about Kuchiki-san's health, and security. It' silly…I'm silly; but for once I want something to be about me."

Tatsuki listened to her friend, alarmed at what she confessed and even if she did not understand she tried to sympathize. Even if it was not the time to think about this Inoue did have her childhood love reject her and her current love was busy protecting the same woman.

This was part of being human, was it not?

Inoue's self-worth was being plucked and it was extremely human. Tatsuki kept forgetting Inoue was half a human and she smiled softly at her friend. About to smooth her hair, Tatsuki's senses heightened when the magic spiked and a hollow manifested itself on the street.

The civilians, almost as if they rehearsed, screamed in terror and began to stampede towards safety in unison. Cars stopped and piled against one another. The hollow was large, long arms and a dull white mask; however, unlike others Tatsuki had seen, this one had hair.

The way it acted was also something completely different. It looked lost, throwing things aside as it screeched and rummaged around like a bear. It sniffed and moved around curiously, pawing at the cars and shop windows.

Tatsuki had already radioed in back-up and her gun was aimed and ready to shoot. Looking to the side, she saw Inoue who stood, tense and ready to run at command but there was some sort of familiarity running across Inoue's eyes.

Inoue then gasped and screamed, the hollow turned to them and charged. Tatsuki shoved Inoue to the side and shot. The bullet crashing against the hollow's mask and broke it in half.

"No…" Inoue said, trembling at the sight, "No! Stop!" She screamed but it was directed towards Tatsuki who was aiming once more.

The hollow was stalking towards her, slowly and softly. Inoue cried at the sight and reached out to touch the hollow when a bullet sped through the hollow's skull. "No!" Inoue screamed, "Please!" She lunged to catch the hollow's face, sobbing as she saw the face underneath the mask. "I love you…"

"Orihime! Get away from it now!" Tatsuki yelled, frightened at her friend's reckless behavior. "It will kill you!" Not understanding what was running through the auburn hair's mind.

The hollow lifted its paw, Tatsuki terrified when it swept in to attack Inoue. The werewolf screamed but saw through panic ridden eyes the hollow swept Inoue's hair to the side as it slowly disappeared. It dissolved in front of the siren, resting its face against her hand as it closed its eyes.

"Please," Inoue sobbed, "Brother!"

Underneath the mask of a hollow was the face of her brother, Sora.

It was discovered on the day that hollows were not mindless creatures created from the darkness but lost souls trapped by the lies of their ill-fated deaths. Souls not ready to move on and lingered on hope that their loved ones and the world would move on perfectly without them. Souls who harbor hatred in their removal of life that remained behind to terrorize.

The monsters that they fear were the monsters that were within.

The hollows were them.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"We need a boat…lights, a wetsuit! We need to go in the water and search for Rukia!" Byakuya shouted angrily, looking over to the sea where his daughter was reeled in. His heart pounded in his chest to the point it was painful for the fear of losing his daughter, the dearest person in the world, in the whole existence.

He, however, ignored that throbbing.

The logical promise of his daughter's safety was more comforting than the dread in his heart.

"I need these things ten minutes ago!" He was being impatient, a sight that was not a trait he liked to expel but his composure was becoming rendered useless as he worried. The rest of the Others were likely to be calming the guests on the ship. Ichigo was currently in shock and useless to him.

Incompetent pup.

He doesn't have time for the pain, the stillness of 'what if,' and thinking of death taking his daughter's hand.

No, Byakuya believed firmly that his daughter will leave this world far long after he was gone. He would not be able to bear the pain of outliving his child, without her there was nothing to truly live for. He'll be an old man, boss of a corporation, with no love to give and receive from his daughter.

As men darted to do as he asked, Byakuya noticed from the water there was a blast of a runt of light into the night sky; it only flickered a glow in the distance that resembled the red light on top of a far off radio tower.

His anxiety lowered slightly, relieved that his daughter still had strength to muster magic. Once her magic was gone she would be surviving in the water like a nymph, and like her mother she would be in the form of a sea nymph. In this temperature she was likely to have only ten minutes before her body gave out to the sea.

All the calculations in his head of what was possible and the probability dispersed when Rangiku screamed as the werewolf ran loudly to the edge of the ship and flopped in

"Wait for the boat, brat!" Byakuya roared but it went deaf to the werewolf and as consequence Byakuya threw a spell at the werewolf.

The strongest one he had and nevertheless, the werewolf's own strength almost broke the chains. "Release me! She needs my help!" Ichigo howled, desperate and raging in magic. It was surprising the strength Ichigo had, almost unnatural. Werewolves usually did not posses such an epic amount of magic in them.

Casually stepping forward the wizard glanced down to the dragon and his wife, demanding someone to take them to the infirmary as the wolf sneered at Byakuya. Confused and livid, the mass of muscle contracted underneath Ichigo's skin, threatening to shift. "You will die if you jump in, mutt. For once, think logically," Byakuya fumed, "I do not want your death on my shoulders, and most of all, I do not want my daughter to blame the death of her mate on herself. You will cause her no guilt."

"Preferably guilt than having her feel nothing at all, son of bitch!" Ichigo yelled, "What am I suppose to do!? Wait here while she's out there!? Wait for us to help her!?" Ichigo roared and broke free from the chains of magic and reared up to Byakuya, "I'm thinking about her and I'm going to save her." He finished in a firm tenor, not at all sensing the surprise on the wizard. Not even realizing himself the feat he accomplished at breaking a spell set by a grand wizard after months of training.

Ichigo faced the sea again with the purpose with jumping and Byakuya stopped him once more by speaking unsympathetically, "You jump in, you are going to die and you won't be able to save my daughter. Wait for the boats." He reminded him, "You will die if you jump in."

Ichigo restrained himself from moving forward, breathing harshly he turned and gave a curt nod when Ishida ran up to them.

"All the boats are blocked!" He huffed, panting heavily from his run and Ichigo almost set his foot on the railing if it wasn't for Byakuya's hand.

"I told you to get me a boat," the grand wizard replied as if it was the simplest answer in the world. "You," He directed to another Others, young and inexperienced from the look of it, "be responsible for the rest of the boats. I want them working; after all, this many breached boats is a safety hazard." Gulping, the young man nodded his head and went to do as the wizard said.

A ring from his pocket called Byakuya's attention as Ishida was sent to do what he was told. Ichigo stayed put, glancing nervously out to sea while the wizard glanced at the screen name and answered it right away. "Don't tell me something is wrong because I already have problems on this damn ship already."

"The traitor is there on the ship," Isshin said on the other end, "It's Tōsen. Trust me; I have the accusation from a reliable source."

Byakuya's lip curled in a snarl as he hung up, not bothering to hear the rest. The explanation can come later, at this moment, he needed action for once. "Capture Tōsen! He's an enemy to the state, Council, and world!" Ichigo's eyes widened, the Others agents stopped and stared at Byakuya, but those who were smart enough already ran to compile the wizard's demand. "This is an order!" He said in a tone that some feared so much their skin fell from their bodies and a weight of punishment suffocated them if they stayed in his presence any longer.

The people inside looked confused, peering out through the windows and asking workers what was happening. Byakuya anxiously looked out to see when Ishida came back; once again panting and the wizard wondered if the elf had been around the werewolves for too long.

"Where's my boat?"

"We freed one of the boats from the jammed bolts; it's ready with everything you asked for."

"Perfect. You're coming with us."

"Wouldn't have any other way," The comfort weight of his glasses on Ishida's face steadied him as he led the grand wizard and the _beta _werewolf to the edge of the deck where the boat resided floating over the water. Ishida jumped in easily while the wizard stepped in and Ichigo plopped in causing Ishida to think the boat was going to break.

The elf glared at the werewolf.

The door from the side burst open and from the other side was Tōsen. He looked enraged as Others guards flooded towards him and he easily pushed them away.

"Tōsen, you son of a bitch!" Ichigo growled.

Tōsen's focus was set on a destination which overlooked Ichigo's bark, which Byakuya did not notice where to but the wizard pulled out his wand and casted a powerful spell of restraint. Tōsen cursed as he felt the spell be launched to him and being in the middle of an inclosing crowd he did not have the ability to move freely.

The spell hit true and Tōsen fell to the ground, arms locked and sorely upset. "Tie him up and do not let him escape." Byakuya said hastily, "Now lower us." The rope slowly undid itself, gently swaying the boat to the water. The clinks the metal made while lowering the boat were not comforting, and they could feel the straining of the rope but they both had pressing matters.

They landed with a splash, some of the water entering the boat which Byakuya quickly evaporated. "Steer us," The wizard said and the boat quickly moved. The motor was loud, disturbing the water greatly and the ocean roared back angrily.

Ichigo noticed the visibility of his breath, the chill on his hair as his body strained to stiffen from the cold. The pumping of his blood was what kept him warm as the boat charged towards the location of the flare Rukia fired.

Ichigo felt the familiar fear of the anticipation of Rukia's well being. Thoughts orbited around her being hurt, in pain, bleeding, and dying but he never once thought about her death. Splashes of water would land on them and stung their skins like bees, pricking Ichigo with consideration in the mute boat.

The harsh breaths he inhaled, the tightened fist, and the blackened sea. He briefly felt as if fate was betraying them, punishing them for unknown crimes as obstacles stood in their way. Rukia was more willing to accept these consequences and adjust herself. He, on the other hand, fought and challenged fate's works. His heart ruled his actions and it was excruciating that there were so many hindrances between them.

However, never once did Ichigo thought it wasn't worth it.

"We're getting close," Byakuya said clearly over the crashing waves, his face grime sensing the abrupt drop of magic, "Slow down."

Gradually releasing the speed and drift into a soft halt, Ishida and the other two males scanned the sea surface. The elf could hear Ichigo's low begging for his mate and sensed Byakuya's reiatsu thicken as they searched for minutes and nothing appeared or surfaced.

The stillness of the sea matched the stillness of the boat and Ichigo disturbed this when he turned his head towards the large ship. Eyebrows were drawn in deep as he heard in the far distances a cry.

"What is it, Kurosaki?" Ishida asked. Byakuya did not turn to face the werewolf and elf, but he did lend his ear to the conversation.

"People are screaming."

As the wizard and elf turned to the direction of where Ichigo was facing, the three Others watched in awe as a flicker of fire ignited and burst in flames on the ship, and swirls of smoke lifted into the air. A crack was heard, loud and impending, and a shock wave hit them. It brushed them with a force that made them stumble and then, not even a second after the wave and the high pressure slammed into the small boat they saw the heightened explosion of the fire begin to consume the ship.

The boat rocked, the waves thrashing when from behind a bright light burst from the sea. Byakuya stayed silent but his muscle tensed at the sight. The flames rose into the sky in a span of five seconds and the wizard could hear the screams coming from the ship.

"Shit…" Ishida breathed out, eyes not knowing where to focus, "What's happening!?" No one answered in the few seconds of the chaos and Ishida wondered what they should do.

Rangiku and her current state of pregnancy was one of the first things Ishida thought. No one was with Rangiku; the fox woman accompanied Rukia to the ship as relaxing vacation before the babe came along. Ishida thought about Hitsugaya but he would only think of his wife's well being after she almost drowned in the frosty ocean. Then, there were the rest of the guests on the ship. The guests, innocent and polite and caught up in this mess, were in a situation where they could not see a future without death's face.

"Should we go back?" Ishida pondered out loud and as he twisted around he saw Ichigo staring out to sea once more.

In the split moment Ichigo was caught up in his thoughts of how could he go back? Knowing Rukia was out there in the water in need of aid and he was her mate, he needed to insure her safety. Nevertheless, he heard the screams behind him, loud and deafening as he struggled to move. Ichigo heard Byakuya's voice ringing in his ears, "We're going to split up. I'll return to the ship, you two stay and search for my daughter."

"But we need light!" Ishida said. Out in sea was darkness, a void of life which circulated the nothing and the silence. The elf glanced at the wizard whom was staring at the sky, neither at the ship nor the water.

"Shit," Ichigo searched the waters for something but there was nothing at all. The waves did not crackle, there were no noises of splashes, and there were not bubbles of water breaking the surface.

The screams behind them for help was a stark contrast with the silence of the sea of a fallen nymph.

Who should they help they wondered.

The known cries of fear or the quiet demand of help?

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked to the waters, hoping it would somehow transmit through the particles of atoms and reach his mate.

"Kuchiki-san…are you doing this?" Up in the sky, clouds started to cluster, becoming massive and bulky. Ichigo glanced up and saw the unnatural movement of the clouds. While the rest floated on, following the course of the wind, these clouds stayed and grouped. Easily reaching out to gather additional clouds and the narrowed eyes of the wizard indicated to the elf and werewolf that he was not the one casting this enchantment.

A crack, which resembled the grueling sound of a bone breaking, resounded and from the core of the blue shadow in the sky. Not a moment later a bolt of discharged fire ranged down and pierced the surface of the water to a degree which the three others could not imagine.

The power behind the lightening made the sea quiver, expelling a pressure of magic, "Is that possible?" Ishida mumbled.

The scene of the lightening striking was quick, lasting a tad longer than the blink of an eye. The result of the attack was unclear. The clouds, however, did not disperse. They waited for a response from the sea. A response which it got when the sea's armor broke and Rukia promptly emerged. Launching herself out, gasping for air and heaving deep, desperate gulps of oxygen. Stunned as her name was called and her eyes were unfocused she turned to the source.

Far in the distance there was a small boat, a light on top emerging from a wand, and behind the boat appeared to be a large flaming soufflé. Once more her name was called, and her mind less muddled as she recognized the voice, realizing it was a different voice from earlier, "Rukia!"

She was cascaded in the time stream where her mother was still alive and it was acceptable to be afraid because of that wand. That wand which many times illuminated the darkness and bleached the nightmares away. Where she could be afraid, cried for her father while she waited in bed for him to protect her from the monsters in the closet and the fearful noise from outside.

"_Papi_…?" Looking at the wand the same way she used to as a child, it slowly morphed as a light she must protect. The light on the wand stayed in the air as she heard a loud splash in the direction of the boat.

Being welcomed into the harsh reality of the sea, Ichigo felt his skin tighten from the extreme chill of the water. The pause of his mind blanking from the shock but his natural heat increased and warmed him.

Resurfacing, his muscles still felt stiff but he quickly located his mate. "Rukia!" Ichigo grunted as he swam to her, shattering the ocean in messy strokes. Muscles warming up and much more compatible he swam swiftly, crashing into Rukia who took a hold of him.

"You should not be h-here!" She sputtered frantically, but he couldn't speak another word because of the prompt kiss she gave him. While it was a short kiss, it was powerful and Ichigo felt bubbles of warmth inside of him. His body was confused at the mixture of polar opposite temperatures inside, the kiss, he noticed, while being short was also desperately relieved.

Rukia also felt the intensity of the simply kiss, and she never thought such emotions could be transferred so effortlessly. Their souls must have been connected before for their hearts to beat as one in the cold water of the sea.

From behind they hear the holler of Ishida and Byakuya to which made Rukia pull away. Leaving him slightly dazed as he asked her of her well-being. Pushing strands of hair out of her eyes, his forehead against hers; he was not willing to part with her just yet, "Rukia?" Fingers grasped her arms and he noticed something off, "Are you naked?" He baffled when he felt no clothes on her and then become aware of her tail, "Are you a mermaid…and you're glowing," The tattoos were duly noted by her mate as well.

"I have not become conscious of this and I thank you for pointing it out; however, I believe there is a pressing manner of _leaving_," She said in an almost pleasant manner but rushed, as her mind swiftly cleared up from his kiss and she pushed him away.

"It is in the water," She stressed at him, "You need to get back on the boat." From the corner of her eyes she saw the flames of the soufflé, recognizing what it actually was and her mouth dropped. "Why?" She thought of Momo who was already on the ship, Rukia knew this by the shadow the dragon made when he took his wife away. Then, there was Rangiku who was eight months pregnant and she was alone. Rangiku came with her as a guest to the ship. Who would protect her?

Normally, most would agree blindly to this for the fear of being dragged down into the water. The _beta _werewolf was not most and certainly not one prone to be fearful, and let himself be dragged by in the water. "What was it? A hollow? We can't let it be down there!"

Ichigo was barely moving as she pushed him towards the boat, not paying much attention to what she was saying. So, instead, she went and began to pull on him; however, he was too heavy for her and she was extremely tired from escaping whatever was down there.

Still, she tried.

"We need to go now." Rukia was panicking, "There is something in the water, and we need to move, fool!"

Hearing Rukia made Ichigo grunt in agreement and while it was not appropriate to acknowledge this, his grunt oddly comforted her. Their hands connected and they only swam two strokes when beneath them there was a blast a blinding light.

The power of it blinded them all; their lids automatically shutting to protect their vision. "What is this!?" Ichigo shouted as they stayed still when the light slowly dimmed enough to allow them to see. "Stay close to me, Rukia!" He noticed that they were in the middle of the circle and he tugged his mate closer to him, determined not to lose her again.

"I do not believe I can if I wish to," She alleged to him, not able to suffocate her terror any longer. It has been such a long time when she wasn't able to surpass her fears. It was almost amusing that another reason she was panicking was because she was scared of being afraid. Then, there was Ichigo who was holding her. What would happen to him?

The emotion shook her and if it wasn't for the water's temperature she would trembling because she was afraid.

Alone in the darkness of the sea where she saw nothing but felt everything as she was being dragged down. Not being able to breathe even in the water because the pressure of the smoke coiling around her neck. Even being pressed up against his chest securely as they kept them moving did not shake the fright from her.

While the emotion controlled her body, her mind separated and trailed down a path to come to a conclusion of a plan. Let her body shrivel and bow down but Rukia refused to lose her mind.

To protect him.

To be with him.

To be with everyone.

To be happy.

"We need to keep moving," She said.

Ichigo and Rukia traveled but noticed the light followed, and then, from the bellow of the water it began to become tinted with red. The white light inked into pink.

"Shit," he smelt the blood. It was fresh.

"Rukia!" Byakuya launched a ball of light above them, showing them where they were at clearly. "Kurosaki!" The elf started the boat again and slowly began to move them closer.

"Ichigo…"

Ichigo heard the dread in her voice as she slipped from his grasps faintly. He noticed and pulled her back but she was rigid, staring down into the water.

Processing what made her slip.

"Stay close to me, Rukia." His hands once more tangled with hers.

"Ichigo," Rukia looked up at her mate, everything clicking at once between them. Gazing down to her in alarmed as his instinct heightened when there was another tug coming from the water. "I am still sorry."

He got immediately to what she was referring to and cursed. "Damnit, Rukia!" Ichigo closed the gap between them, "We'll discuss this fucking later, I promise! Come on. You're father is almost here. We're going to be okay. We're almost there!"

"Ichigo," She remembered the first time she discovered her dairy. The once stoic vision she believed she had altered, and she knew this because the change of her writing became…softer. Remembering reading about her life from the moment she met Ichigo, the way he was always optimistic about the world and them…while she, even back then before she knew Ichigo was her mate, was determined to sip a tea flavored of reality. She read about her thoughts involving his dreams. Reading about her concerns that they were never meant to be knitted together, but somehow they were.

She knew him and loved him, and she read the fear of those strong emotions in her dairy. However doubtful she was because after every event of her progressing into a future with him; something still dragged her down and tried to swallow her into the darkness.

This hole was meant for her and only her and she did not desire to drag anyone down with her and, above all, him.

"I love you."

No matter what situation they could be in, hearing those words from her made him smile widely, "And I love you."

"Then, please, let me go."

Ichigo constricted her closer to him at that claim, shock and enraged at her. Almost offended that she would even think about asking him that and even more that she did. His protest was on the tip of his tongue, the top of his lungs, and cords already began to be strung in his vocals when she spoke once more. Much suppler than before as she gazed into him with heavy, wet lashes, "And after you are safe…I will find you."

She was then vigorously pulled away from him.

* * *

_**Thank you for reading. **_

_**Please review and I'll see you next month.** _


	41. Chapter 40

**To those who celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope you had a wonderful holiday, and those who didn't I hope the last few weeks were amazing!**

Here's the next chapter, and I want to thank everyone for reviewing and still read my fic every month. 

**Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter 40**_

_**The Abyss**_

It was a bottomless, immeasurable vast of space. It was described as a gulf or cavity with an immense opening that can never be filled.

It was the nothing beyond the atoms of the objects we touch and see.

That was how it had been described to me as a child.

"_Was there really nothing beyond that?_" I asked him.

He told me, "_We do not know…but do not look for the abyss, little one. What use is it to gain the knowledge beyond our universe when you lose your soul in the process?_"

He said I was not strong enough to enter the space of the nameless, but I still wondered what was in the abyss that I controlled the ability to open a portal to.

We, then, never spoke of what was in the abyss again.

It became a forbidden topic over supper.

Older now, my mentor murdered; I have traveled for more than a three centuries alone. Watching those around me passing through life seamlessly; they were content in their perimeter of given knowledge.

Unwilling to gain more.

How was that possible?

Was ignorance truly bliss?

Over the time of my journey I had learned many things of the universe. I had met with the intellect of the days at their primes. I had met with the suffering masterminds of the arts. I had met and even dine with the leaders of the worlds.

Most of them, I won't lie, were bores.

Nevertheless, on the journey there was the subject matter of the one focus I have been told to stay away from. There have been rumors of the abyss. Rumors created by humans and Others alike, whom needed an answer as to what was in the abyss to comfort their babes at night, old and young.

What was the abyss beyond its cosmic proportion of being an empty hole?

I hear that there are monsters that roam the abyss.

A creature that feared that its own creations would be bent to destroy it.

A dew of a flower which granted the power to control the seas.

A stream of time of the infinite.

A treasure so glorious that it had the ability to kill.

What was in the abyss?

I, personally, will never know.

Three times I have sent a person straight into the core of the abyss. When they immerge they would immediately die after they renew the realm.

Exasperatingly, never telling me what was in the abyss before they decide to die.

Selfish bastards.

Even so, this was my destiny. I opened the portal to the abyss never knowing what was inside. Once again, I dragged the renewer down for the fourth time in my life. I felt her enter into the unknown unwillingly while I watch with the envy of the world.

I hope, this time, she would tell me what was inside.

I hope I make it until then.

The blood was seeping faster than I would have liked.

The lightning strike hitting true twice.

However, I cannot die without knowing what was inside.

I've been told the abyss was anything which was profound, unfathomable, or infinite. The abyss was known as the stage of primal chaos before the moment of creation. The infernal regions of hell which the layers of the underworld of suffering and torment are prisons to those who sinned. The subterranean of the ocean, the abyss of what laid in the unknown world of below with its creatures which the living found fascinating. .

I am dying.

There will be another gate keeper after my death.

But by the Gods I will know what is inside that dreadful void of the nothing before I take my last breath.

~o~o~o~o~o~

The transformation of the dragon into a human sent many guests in shock and wonderment.

The rescued wife of the dragon revealing the drowning witch in the sea gripped his throat.

The lowering of the boat was watched by the hundreds of passengers.

It was a thundering in the ground moving them all and Ashido was one of those who watched the werewolf, the elf, and the grand wizard being lowered onto the water.

The knight looked out to sea, heard the splash of the small boat hitting the water, and remembered the words Rukia said to him moments ago when she dropped the ring he had gotten her in the palm of his hand: _I will live with many regrets in my life, but I will not live with this one. _

"People prefer to live without regret," Ashido mumbled. The roaring of the small engine echoed as it moved towards the destination of the lost sea nymph.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Down into the blinding water he followed by not letting go of her arm. A tightening of his chest occurred when he witnessed an unknown monster dragging Rukia away. Many tentacles that seemed to be made of smoke coiling around her tail, one even daring to collar her as she stared up at him. She stared at him with her hair a weightless black mass around her, and the light continued to surround them.

He quickly tried to gather her in his arms again but the smoke in the water did not allow that. It gave a strong jerk causing her to cry in pain and it was this pain which drove him to tug on her hand. She was pleading to him to let go of her for whatever was down there simply wanted her.

They were going deeper into the water as he tried to resurface them again, his air supply was diminishing and his throat burned for oxygen. Rukia noticed and reached as far as she could to kiss him, breathing air to her mate. The air rejuvenated him, the magic she used was soothing and he blinked in bliss as he was able to breathe once more. However, the hazy delight vanished when from the corner of his eyes he saw what appeared to be another bolt of lightning or magic struck down into the water, passing them and going deeper to the source of whatever was pulling Rukia down.

The blood deep within the core inked the water even more. The light changed into a dazzling red, and it seemed the creature below began to work on pure adrenaline. Rukia felt the power surge and she pulled away from him. Staring deep into his eyes she noticed them reddening from the sting of the sea water as she gave one last heave, and wrenched her hand free from his grasp.

Ichigo was shocked at the loss of the hand and when he looked down again she was more than three feet away from him. The smoke coil around her body like rope, dragging her down and her arm that was once connected to his was waving madly slow in the water.

Telling him to leave.

Always telling him to leave.

She was always protecting him.

Smoke threads burst from behind her and Ichigo gasped as he was pushed away, up to the surface where he broke the water and gasped for air. "Rukia!" He shouted at the top of his lungs in anguish, it bellowed down and it even put to shame Momo's shriek. "Rukia!" He made the attempt to dive under when the light beneath shined brightly again, blinding and paralyzing him like a deer, leaving him in a daze.

Close behind him was Byakuya, shocked at the insanity of the light but he gracefully closed his eyes. Ishida, on the other hand, threw himself to the floor at the sudden brightness, even cursing.

It lasted longer than the first and then it disappeared, as if it was abruptly turned off and it was dark.

"Kurosaki! Where's Rukia-san?!" Ishida yelled.

The werewolf trembled as he stared into the water; he sensed it in his being. A void was produced and lingered in the silence of the sterile truth inside of him, and cried out: she was gone.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"I will kill you all!" Tōsen yelled. Struggling with the humans who were trying to drag him to the cell they had on the ship.

Ashido turned at the voice of the blind man. At first he saw a man, blind and struggling but that vision morphed and spiked red. He was part of the reason why there was war. Why the humans and Others could not integrated properly. He was part of the Espada which struck fear into the hearts of Others and humans alike. Ashido blamed him for everything and he gritted his teeth as Tōsen resisted as if he was innocent.

"Do you know what you are doing?"

Tōsen paused, seeing the tone of Ashido's question. He barked a laugh and smiled widely. "I'm saving the world from monsters like you!"

"The only monster I see is you!" Ashido pulled out a gun from his jacket, screams ensued at the sight as many Others backed away from the sight of the sundowner. "You have tormented us, caused fear in us, and made us fight one another when we should be working together!"

"Foolish human…do you know what you speak of? It was your kind that drove us, _Others_, to the realm of magic. We roamed the earth freely before your ancestors set foot upon it. In the eyes of history…you are the monsters. You are the Others! This war…this is our destiny!"

"What do you know of destiny?!" Ashido aimed and would have squeezed the trigger if it wasn't for the sword being pierced into his shoulder.

"It's a leap of faith." A grave voice answered from behind Ashido.

Panting heavily at the pain that stringed throughout his body, Ashido glanced up and saw the man whom taken care of him since he was younger, a man he looked up as a father more than his own biological father. "Giriko?"

"Apologies, Master Ashido," The elderly man moved to stand in front of Tōsen, blasting the humans surrounding the representative away without twitching a hair on his mustache.

"What?"

Tōsen stood, not making a noise but the smile on his face spoke louder than anyone on the deck. He walked away, confident that no one would stop him and no one did.

"I want my revenge." The man said and reached out, with one hand he hauled the human up. Staring deep within his eyes, Giriko remembered every moment he had with his man, "I want my freedom." With his other hand, he striked and fingers dug deep within the left eye socket of Ashido's face. Ignoring the scream of pain and cries from the man he raised. "The freedom which was stolen from me by your father!" Yanking his hand back, Giriko felt the twine of flesh connecting the eyeball to the skull snapping.

He dropped the human to the floor; saw Ashido flop like a stunned fish. There were more screams from the deck and Ashido went to cup his bleeding eye socket. Panicking and moving around terrified, Ashido cried from the numbing pain and the confusion of not being able to see through both eyes.

"Your father does not control me any longer, Ashido." He spoke calmly as if Ashido was hearing every word, lifting the bloody eye to present him proof. "With this eye: I am free."

The knight looked up, not understanding the reason for the betrayal; nevertheless, he cried out in anguish for Giriko when a spell hit the elderly man and blasted through his stomach. Blood and flesh landed on Ashido and the floor, killing Giriko in front of Ashido and the frightened passengers of the cruise ship.

"Son of a bitch was scaring my kid," Kenpachi growled, lowering his wand as he looked over to his daughter, "It's okay pumpkin. Daddy took care of the bad man."

"He wasn't a bad man!" Ashido cried out reaching out to hold his Giriko's hand, tears now fell for the lost of Giriko.

"He yanked out your eyeball, kid and let Tōsen go."

"Then, you need to reevaluate your definition of a 'bad man!'"

It was a sound of a loud crack which made many Others look over their shoulder to the front of the ship. A ghost of stillness sat on them as they waited in apprehension, and when the explosion accord beads of shirks and cries cleanse the passengers. Sirens blasted through the ship but there was no announcement made by the captain.

Scorching heat followed, the passengers burst from the inside doors. Pushing and trampling over each other in terror at the sight of the explosion. Many not knowing what to do and jumped over the railing, thinking it would save their lives.

"Please put on your life vest and get in the life rafts!" Workers and Others worked fast to put the fire out and lowering passengers down in the waters in the life rafts.

"There aren't enough working life rafts!"

"Fix them, then!"

"This one is ready!"

It was a mass of unclean noise and cries. From the ground, someone grabbed Ashido and placed him in one of the first life rafts as he heard the commanding yells of workers. He looked at his hand, red from being pried away from Giriko and from the mixed blood of theirs. Hands worked on his face, cleaning the blood up and adding a slight pressure to his wound.

"I regret it," He said softly, Rangiku paused and looked over at the knight. One hand was on her belly as she thought about everything that phrase could have meant. There was an urgent hand on her shoulder, and she was reminded of what she was doing. Rangiku grabbed more bandages and said nothing as she helped wipe up more blood. She only hesitated to look out to see when she felt a pressure of magic this time.

Lightening flew from the sky, thundering everyone's heart on the ship as it hit the ocean surface.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Where are you going?" Komamura said sternly.

Tōsen stopped from getting into the life raft with his fellow associates. He, instead, stepped back and faced his old friend.

"More importantly: what are you doing?"

"Giving us a fighting chance to win back our land," Tōsen raised his hand to silence the followers of the Espadas.

"You are acting as if we are at war with the humans."

"Which we should be, and I can sense your next question." Tōsen smiled, "'Why are we fighting the Others and not the humans?'Correct?" Komamura grunted. "Well, you see, we are not fighting with the Others, just the council. If we tried to take back the land, the council will have a fit, you know. We need them eliminated and gone."

"And you are so confident that is the true intention of Aizen?"

"No." Tōsen surprised Komamura, "I am not but it does not matter. Once Aizen has the power…we'll take back the land. I can have my revenge on the humans for what they done."

"Do not take her death out on all the humans!"

"Then, who do I take it out on!?" Tōsen snarled, "She was the only one I truly loved and they took her away from me!"

"And you're taking their loved ones away from them!" Komamura growled. He grew large as his inner beast was released, "Like you are taking Senorita Rukia from Senor Ichigo."

"Do not blame me for their destiny!"

"What do you know of destiny?" Tōsen felt the pressure of the question once more, not knowing how to answer but Komamura did, "Destiny is a leap of faith." The helmet he wore on his head was taken off, the small group of followers on the life raft cursed in fear at the sight of Komamura's true appearance, "A leap of faith which Senorita Rukia is being forced to take without accepting that there is a reason why she needs to jump. She doesn't know because of the actions caused by the Espadas."

"Then, she should trust destiny."

"How can she when she barely figured out what fate is!?"

"What are you trying to get at this!?"

"That you are not a man of faith. You are a man of destruction." Komamura released himself from his humanly form and became a large creature. Almost identical to a werewolf in his were form if it wasn't for his legs and feet being backwards, fur was short and give the impression to be sleek like skin, and his ears was able to swiftly move around in any directions.

"Of course you would be offended, Xolotl." Tōsen revealed Komamura's real name, a name so old that Komamura almost didn't recognized it.

"I am considered the God of fire and bad luck back in my country of Mexico. A place where faith is heavily influenced in our…my daily life, and instead of dragging the sun down to the underworld. I will drag you."

"Are you forgetting who I am!?"

"No…what is a created Ilomba to a once worshipped God like me?"

Tōsen's own body shed its human form, and molded into a large snake. Long and coiling as he grew almost as large as Komamura, and his once white, blind eyes gained the color of yellow, pupils of a snake but he still couldn't see.

"Where is your owner?" Komamura asked.

Tōsen hissed in anger, its body sprang to attack. Fangs bared to strike poison and Komamura dodged and lifted its paw to strike back. The little guppies of the Espadas fled in fear at the sight of the two creatures they had never seen before. The fire was roaring behind them and the heat made it hard to breathe but easy to move.

As they fought water was filling the ship, the screams were loud to both of their ears but neither stopped the strikes of their attack. To confront your friend was hard but Komamura realized it was painful to notice that your friend attacked as if you never met before. He attacked as if they had never been friends before. In Tōsen's eyes, he was nothing more than a pawn in a war.

Roaring at the pain in his heart, Komamura gripped Tōsen by his neck and slammed him against the wall repeatedly until the snake stopped moving, until his body transformed back to his human form. Loosening his hold, the man fell from his grasp and Komamura roared in grief for the loss of a friendship.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Eyes released from their prison beneath her lids and Rukia gasped as if she was startled awake. Confused as to where she was and why she was on the ground, Rukia took deep breaths. "I-Ichigo?" Her throat was sore and dry, and she waited silently for an answer that never came. Taking in the sight in front of her in alarm; a couple of dried and dead tree branches were above her. They were bare and thin, reminding her of the old movies where young woman would be lost in a fearsome forest representing how terrifying the outdoors were. Rukia frowned at that thought and recollected her opinions quickly.

She went to rub her eyes gently free from their sleep when she recognized a heavy weight in her left hand. Gripping her hand around the heavy metal form, she titled her head in its direction, and brought her hand down. She willed her fingers to open, and on the ground of this unknown area, Rukia saw she was carrying a key. One of the keys she originally had in Momo's purse. It was the silver key, the handle was coiling and magnificent, and the teeth were elaborate.

Baffled as to why she had it in her hand, she began to stand to only have her legs almost give out before stabilizing. Looking ahead, she stood stunned as her mouth opened at the sight before her. There were barely any trees she realized, and beyond those few trees was nothing, a vast of empty space except with the specks of lustrous gold falling around of her. She caught one in her hands but it melted like a snow flake. Shifting her vision up above to the darkness, there was nothing creating the star dust falling from the sky.

There was no sun, no clouds, and no blue sky.

It was nothing.

"I-Ichigo?" She called out tentatively again once her intake of air was relaxed and her body became steady, but like before, she received no answer. Lingering in her mind, she wondered if he was alright or if he was in danger. She knew, deep within her, that he was alive but still the doubt lingered.

Looking down, she saw she was standing on land. The cross bag which belonged to Momo was no longer around her body, and instead she wore a long gown which dragged on the ground. It was a sheer white, hanging from her body in long sweeps of open fabric, showing patches of her skin freely. The back of the dress had a large V cut that ended at the small of her back. The straps were thin threads as the long sleeves flared out spectacularly, showing her sides if she lifted her arms away from her body, and her fingers were barely peeking out beneath the sleeves.

Bring one hand up she grabbed her dress in uncertainty while the other held the key as she wondered where she was. From behind, a gentle brush of wind slid against her cheek, and her heart jumped in surprise.

Originally, Rukia didn't want to look behind her for the ambiguity of what could be there. Then, in the dimmed surrounding she was in she saw the land illuminate slowly. A radiant light from behind that touched her skin in a wispy of hair raising phenomenon.

It was a light that was comforting and powerful. Shuddering for breath she turned and she felt the sublime sight should have made her blind for it surely made her weep.

The brilliant light came from a colossal tree in the distance, and like the rest of the trees it was bare and dead. The light blasted through the darkness, an energy force that embraced the foundation of the location she was at.

It was a beacon in this ocean of darkness and it called for her and she listened.

Rukia took off running, her exposed feet following the aligning path in front of her, the curving and coiling of the lone white trail. It bowed out of the ground, growing vast and aging rapidly the closer she got to the tree.

It was almost painful to look directly at the tree, but she pushed through the ache of her eyes and kept hiking as fast as she could. Yielding once more, she was in front of the tree and Rukia looked up to the monumental vivid figure of the tree. Rukia wasn't able to see where its branches ended as it reached up to the sky. It was tremendously tall and thick, the width was enormous.

Hesitantly, she reached for the tree and flinched when her fingertips touched the bark. It sent a spark of magic through her, one she never felt before. "Where are your leaves?" She asked, the memory of this vision inking into her mind, "Your fruits?"

It responded by having the bulging roots of the tree smoothed out and swept aside. It was presenting the base of the tree; a new space where placed in the soil was a talisman. Under its thin layer of dirt there was an emblem of the sun etched on the talisman.

"The last talisman…" She whispered, almost not believing the sight and she looked up, finally knowing what this tree was, "The Tree of Life."

Unlike the Fountain of Youth she read about and which she originally thought would give her immortality when, in fact, it only gave her years which the Hōgyoku took from her. The Tree of Life was the true provider of life, and from its fruit one would be able to gain immortality. The trees behind her, the landscape were dead because the Tree, in its final attempt to live, absorbed their life essences.

However, the Tree was bare from any sweet fruit.

The Tree was struggling to survive.

"How ironic…the source of eternal life cannot source its fruits for it is dying." Rukia went to her knees, somberly staring at the talisman and went to pluck it from the ground. At least, she tried to. It would not budge, not even shift slightly to indicate it was loose.

Exasperated, she tried to use the key to lift the talisman out of its hole and when it clunk for the tenth time and she was getting nowhere, Rukia groaned and bumped her head against the trunk of the Tree repeatedly.

Grumbling, she noticed at the base of the tree, higher up than where the talisman was, was a hole, a key hole. "No," She said, shaking and lifting her head away from the tree as she placed the key in the hole, "it is not _that _easy."

The key slipped in neatly and when she turned the metal structure a pulse of power was released and then immersed back into the pentacle of the Tree. Sucking the light with it and suddenly it was dark once more. Rukia's vision blurred at the sudden dimming and gloomy atmosphere. The Tree of Life ashen and wilted, the comfort of life's light was gone.

Unhanding the key, Rukia went to pluck the talisman again, her fingers touching the uneven surface of the stone object and she grabbed the talisman. The action where her hand still touched the tree as she held the talisman caused the life essence inside of her to be drained. She gasped at the shock, body crumbled as the tattoos on her body beamed stronger than ever.

Leaving her in the same hazy confusion when blood was poured out immediately without warning, and the Tree detonated with light and prospered.

With the talisman now in her hand Rukia was pushed back from the force of the light. Feeling faint, heart thundering as life rapidly aged, grew.

The Tree of Life and the land flourished.

There was vine dangling from the branches, green leaves were full and dense. Fruits, she could not tell what kind, grew in frightening force and as the Tree grew stronger. Its strength resonated with the rest of the trees.

The land was ample with life and energy.

A force as intense as the sun's glares.

A divine power that made the nymph step backwards in awe at the intensity of magic.

Another pulse of magic made her stumble and she was falling backwards. Expecting to hit the ground she tensed waiting for the impact, but instead her insides spiraled as she fell through the ground and fell into the abyss once more. The sight of the Tree of Life slithered away from her sight and she closed her eyes as she entered a body of water to only break the surface of another.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_Seventeen hours later_

"…_there were one thousand two hundred and fifty-eight people on the ship - workers and passengers alike. From these one thousand two hundred and fifty-eight, only five hundred and thirty-seven survived from his horrific ordeal. _

_ It is still unsure what caused the explosion on the luxury cruise ship which left port on Miami, Florida or why it took many hours for another ship to respond to their S.O.S signal."_

"That's enough," Soi Fong grabbed the remote from Shunsui and clicked the large projection off. "We already know of the event."

"Don't be like that little bee, there might be some new information."

"If it's new information then we'll be the first to know!" She growled and went to sit back down in her seat. Everyone was present in the meeting room except for the traitors and Yamamoto. Ishida and Renji were next to Isshin, and on the opposite side of them was Byakuya with Ashido. Momo was there as an extra guest, sitting right next to her husband.

This was the second meeting they had since the loss of Rukia and the sinking of the luxury ship.

Most of the members were lost in their thoughts, Isshin itched to grab his glass and throw it at the infuriating ticking clock behind him. Nevertheless, Isshin focused his attention away from the clock and on someone more important.

Sighing, he looked over at his son. The _beta _werewolf was leaning against his chair, eyes worn out as he stared absently at the smooth polished surface with heavy groves under his eyes. Isshin heard Byakuya had to place a spell on the werewolf to drag him into the boat, stopping his son from diving into the sea to look for Rukia. Placing his hand on his son's shoulder, Isshin was surprised when the young werewolf moved his head to meet his gaze for the first time. He was expecting worn, tired eyes but instead he saw a spark of fire in his son's eyes. It was crackling in the depth of his irises, a determination. However, those strong traits in his eyes did not show in the muscle of his face.

"You need get some sleep, son."

"It's hard," Ichigo's voice was dry and he drank water to moisten this throat. "I can't sleep without having my mind being attacked with questions about…" His voice died out as he stiffened his lips, "It's painful, you know, not being able to fall asleep because reality is finally as terrible as my nightmares."

"In the realm of magic," Ukitake began softly as he overheard the werewolves conversation, "there are two legends, one which states when one cannot sleep at night, it is simply because you are awake in someone else's dream. Another says when you are in love, it is impossible to sleep for your reality _has_ become better than your dreams." The French Others handed the wolf green tea he had ordered earlier, "Hopefully, this will help you relax into a slumber."

He did not smile but he nodded in gratitude. He raised his gaze and stared straight ahead, meeting Byakuya's steady gaze. The grand wizard gave a nod, "Sleeping is an act of faith, Kurosaki. Do you have faith?"

Ichigo could not answer, and even if he did this was not a question meant to be answered out loud.

The doors were pushed open and Yamamoto entered, his cane striking the floor as he moved to his seat at the head of the table. "Members of the Others Council, welcome back."

"Can you tell us why you have called us back so soon?" Kenpachi barked, "We just had a meeting earlier this morning!"

"You're inattentive as always." Isane sighed.

"What was that dolly?"

Ukitake smacked Kenpachi's shoulder lightly and pointed to Ashido, "She's saying there is someone new at the table."

"Ah, Kid, didn't notice you." Kenpachi grumbled and rested his chin against his fist, "but what does this Kid have to do with this meeting?"

"Why not wait for him to speak, you oaf!" Soi Fong snapped.

Ashido stood before Kenpachi could utter another sound. He gained their attention and none were surprised by the newly acquired eye patch on his right eye. The council was already informed by other members of what occurred on the ship.

Komamura had Tōsen captured and locked away in the space between lands where Ishida once got injured in. It was currently being debated if they should apply a torture method to get the traitor to speak. After all, he was already sentenced to death by Yamamoto for punishment of killing seven hundred and twenty-one innocent humans and Others.

Kenpachi informed the council of Kano's butler, Giriko, who attacked his master, Ashido, and blinding him in one eye before he was killed by Kenpachi.

Ishida, Byakuya, and Ichigo informed the council the loss of Kuchiki Rukia to the sea; the supernatural clouds that sent bolts of lightning attacks to the sea, which was confirmed by Yamamoto to be the work of Aizen.

Yoruichi with her husband, Urahara, alongside Nanao and Soi Fong reported the rumors about the realm of magic. They suspected that Rukia was taken to the realm of magic by a demi-god for protection that could not be provided for her here.

To have many pairs of eyes on him felt heavy, especially the ones that belonged to Ichigo. Ashido took a deep breath closed his eyes before he began to speak, "I would like to apologize not only to the council, but to Kurosaki Ichigo for the actions I took the last time I was here. I would like to explain not only my actions but Rukia's to everyone here. She asked me to if anything…happened to her." Ashido choked on his words but he pushed back his grief.

"After the first rejection of my proposal to Rukia, I did not plan to ask again. She was clearly invested with Kurosaki Ichigo, and I had truly never seen her in such high spirits. However, there was an attack and my knights were threatened by Aizen. He would have killed, or attempted to kill us all, if I did not do as he asked. His request was simple: ask Rukia to marry me once in front of the council members: which I did to which she agreed to.

"It may surprise many of you, but Rukia did not agree to my proposal because of my knowledge of who was leader of the Espada. I would have told all of you either way." He halted briefly, "Hours before her disappearance, Rukia informed me why she accepted my proposal." Ashido looked over at Renji who looked down, knowing what Ashido was about to say. "She was threatened the night of the full moon all those months ago when the pack did not have their pills to suppress their beasts within.

"She was told if she did not follow the instruction, they would kill everyone they, the Espadas, had taken pictures of. This includes the twin daughters of _Alpha_ Kurosaki Isshin, Karin and Yuzu," Ichigo's eyes widened while Isshin's narrowed, already hearing this from Renji but he still snarled in unison with his son at the threat. "The wife of Hitsugaya, Momo, and the pregnant Rangiku," Ashido looked down sadly. "We were following their plans until the _beta _snuck onto the ship, and Rukia called off the wedding to me…to risk a relationship with the werewolf."

"With these recent turn of events I bring this to you." Leaning against the table beside him was a wooden case. Ashido reached for it and placed it on the table, untied the string and lifted the top off. "Aizen was seeking this from my Knights." Many of the members tensed and leaned back at the surprising power that was emitted from within the case. "I know my knights will not be able to protect this, and I hope this will aid you, Ichigo..." Lying inside was a sword, it was not sleek like the katanas but it was long and thick. The handle was a deep blue, the blade itself was blinding silver. "Rukia once said she needed her knight to win." Ashido pushed the sword in front of Ichigo, "and I will help you win."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Gasping as she fell awake from her dream Rukia grasped the dirt beneath her hands, confused once more as to what was happening. The key was gone and in its place was the stone talisman. She felt the cool wind curling against her naked form and the soil of the ground pressed up against her skin.

The young nymph washed up against the shoreline of a river, completely naked with the faint shimmering of light from her tattoos. "_Why am I always naked?_" She grumbled to herself as she curled her fingers around the talisman. In the distance she heard approaching hooves, strong and loud. Mouth dry and body heavy, there was a pull on her hair and with much difficulty she turned her head to the side.

Speaking softly in chirps a small female fairy with sleek green skin, wings resembling leaves, and nude pulled at a strand of hair urgently. Gently swatting the fairy away, Rukia distinguished that her legs were restored back to their original form, and Momo's cross bag rested beside her. Rolling onto her back, a hand clutched at her heart as she saw the dimming blue sky above her.

"You need to run," A weak voice said behind Rukia and it continued but on a completely different matter, "Tell me...what's inside? What's inside the abyss?"

Rukia forced herself up and turned to face the person demanding answers. Leaning against a tree was a woman with long cherry colored hair in high pigtails. Dressed in a short black dress and knee high boots, she looked extremely young and modern, but what caught Rukia's attention was the blood seeping from her chest.

"You are hurt."

"It doesn't matter," She groaned as she clenched the wound, getting paler by the second, "I've been waiting for you to wake up…to tell me what's i-inside the abyss." Rukia stumbled to her feet, crossing an arm over her breasts and the other over her maidenhood for modesty's sake. While she shouldn't feel embarrassed being naked she did feel vulnerable being naked in an unknown forest.

Coming closer to the fallen woman, she put the talisman in the bag and held her hands out. Having it glow green but the woman growled and pushed the hand away. "Y-you can't save me."

"At least let me try."

"I've lost too much blood…th-there is no way, but please tell me what you saw." Rukia gave the woman a confused look, shaking her head not understanding her request, "Before you run; tell me! The t-talisman!" The woman stressed, "Where did you get it?"

Lips agape, lingering a moment as her memories restored fully of where she had originally woken up. She was in the abyss. That was where she got it, "In the abyss…"

"Tell me about it..." The woman grasped Rukia's hand, desperate as she gazed into the nymph's eyes. "I need to know." The hooves were slowly getting closer, "Hurry."

"It's an empty void of space," Rukia said, "however, there is a lone patch of land covered in a small amount of trees." The woman's eyes were wide as she was entranced in Rukia's words. Urging Rukia on in fear of death would lead her away before the renewer could finish. "In the far distance was the largest of all the trees…it was the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is in the abyss."

"The…Tree of Life is in the abyss?" The woman whispered as tears spilled from her eyes and a smile bloomed, relieved. "It's the Tree," She stated for herself.

Rukia saw her legs were slowly being covered in blood, her hands always have a layer of the copper scent stain. "Who are you?"

The woman looked over; smiling in content at knowing what was inside her obsession. Everything in her life was completed but the smile quickly became a frown as she heard Rukia's question, "I'm your 'fairy godmother.'"

"Were you the one–?"

"You need to run." She stated firmly, pushing Rukia away. "I might have delayed you from escaping safely, but you are still able to flee. They are going to come after you. The Espadas are coming after you."

The hooves were closer now and Rukia's grabbed the woman's arm, "We need to move."

"Forget me. Leave." The fairy godmother pushed Rukia more, "Run and do not look back." The hooves were a breath away, the green fairy pulled at Rukia's hair in a panic, chirping even more as the woman gave another shove, "Run!"

Ignoring the tug of the fairy and the push from the dying woman, Rukia whispered, "I am sorry." Rukia forced herself to stand and sprint in the opposite direction of the hooves. The Espadas, hearing the fairy godmother's shout, rushed towards the direction.

The woman watched the nymph run away and smiled as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I know." She sobbed, "I finally know…I'm ready." She shifted her gaze up to the sky, feeling weaker with every pulse. The windswept softly against her as two figures on horses raced past her, and the one with blue hair turned his head. He met her eyes and her warm sobs escalated, "I'm sorry!"

He sent an attack.

She didn't survive.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"You knew!?" Ichigo slammed Renji against the wall, "You had the knowledge to prevent all of this but you didn't!"

"I fucking didn't know she would go as far as to allow her memories to be erased!" Renji bellowed, heaving at the loss of breath. "When we got the letter I didn't know she would…she would do _something _like _that_."

Ichigo let go of the werewolf pup, shaking his head, "Why didn't you say anything to _us_?"

"Because it was a fucking threat," Renji bit out, "They took pictures of the ones we loved. They sought us out in that theater, attacked us, and taunted us with those pictures." Renji punched Ichigo, desperately getting his point across, "They were close enough to kill the ones we love! You expected us to say something when we couldn't even talk about it with each other?"

Ichigo wiped his hand across his busted lip, body tightened as he scowled. "I expected you to tell me as soon as I became your _beta_and you became part of my pack!" Ishida watched the werewolves fight but did nothing to stop the attacks. They both needed to extinguish their pent-up rage, might as well unleash it on one another instead of him.

Truthfully, he was in no mood to ruin his new suit.

Ashido stay silent as well, nursing his new black eye given to him by Ichigo as well feeling the pain of losing of his left eye. He felt unwelcome in the presence of the three men and Miss Momo. It wasn't hard to understand when the wife of a powerful dragon sent glares in his direction, but after minutes of the hateful gaze she sighed, and looked over at the werewolves who continued to fight.

"What do you want me to do!?" Renji barked, "Take it all back?! Because I fucking can't!"

"I know you can't!" Ichigo yelled back, "I know you fucking can't…." The tight fist fell and Ichigo walked out of the line of fire. Leaning against a wall he silently cursed, not believing he just lost her again.

"What's done is done."

"You don't speak!" Renji marched his way to the human, fangs bared. "If it wasn't for you–"

"If wasn't for Aizen! This would not have happened," Ashido scowled. "Placing blame on me won't help anyone. As far as I am concerned we all are to blame for certain decisions we made…including Rukia."

Renji huffed, hands itching to attach to the man's throat but Momo placed her hand on his arm. "He's right." Renji whipped around to face Momo, "Now get your head out of your ass. We need to find Rukia."

"How are we going to do that?"

"We'll start searching." Ichigo stated, "I'll send some wolves to the Realm…I'll lead and find her."

"That wouldn't be a good decision." Isshin with a waddling Rangiku walked in the room, Rangiku quickly found a seat in the Others meeting room and plopped down. Heaving a sigh as a hand rested on her belly.

"Why?" Asked the _beta_ werewolf, "I need to find her."

"Since Rukia entered the Realm there are reports of Others not being able to come back." Isshin placed the file he was carrying on the table, "There's more than two hundred reports and they keep coming in."

"They can't leave." Ishida repeated to himself, "We can't enter?"

"Nope." Rangiku said with a smile, "We can enter…we can go through but we can't come back."

"How do you know?" Momo asked as she walked forward to Rangiku.

"Because the best example we have is the Shibas calling, and saying Kon opened a portal after hearing what happened and went through."

"Kon?" Ashido looked dumbfounded, "That lion doll that Rukia carries."

"It's alive." Ichigo said, "It's basically a miniature…magical lion, pet, thing."

"And it went through a portal?"

"_And_ it can't come back." Isshin stated.

"What now?" Renji asked, "If we go through we can't come back…what should we do?"

"Wait and see if Rukia contacts us." The elf pushed himself off the wall.

"She's not going to," Ashido responded, "If they're after her she's going to be on the run."

"Little Rukia won't have time to contact us…" Rangiku whispered, "Especially with _this_." The fox woman unfolded a piece of paper and placed it on the table. She slid it over to the rest of the group to witness the wanted poster of Kuchiki Rukia.

"Wanted?" Ishida said, not believing the image in front of him. The picture was a frontal shot from the first night of the cruise.

"With a large sum of a bounty on her head: seventy-five thousands lanks on her head." Isshin bit out.

"That's basically fifty thousand dollars," Momo calculated, "Every single bounty hunter and desperate citizen will be after her."

"On what crimes!?" Renji cried, charging into the tight circle, finally getting a glance at the wanted poster.

"For crimes against the crown," Ashido read, "Murder, Treason, Treachery, and Thievery."

"C-can't we do something?" Renji asked.

Ashido stepped up and nodded his head, "You can send Others to the realm; well, why not send a representative dismissing these crimes, talk to the kings and queens of the lands? Rukia is innocent!"

"Because we're not talking about _any _crown, and these are kingdoms. They work the same way they work here in this world." Rangiku reasoned.

"What crown are you talking about?" Ashido asked further on.

The eyes of everyone focused on the fox woman and _Alpha_. Isshin rubbed the back of his head and sighed, "The Espadas…claimed and created a kingdom in the Realm. They're a city-state, now. If we try to send someone to stop the circulation of the wanted poster he or she will be killed."

"So…what are we going to do?" Momo whispered.

"Wait and see what develops." Isshin said, "Understood?" He looked at everyone in the room, and each one nodded until he laid his eyes on the last person in the room. Ichigo did not meet his eyes and Isshin scowled, "Understood?" He growled.

The _beta _looked up and met his father's eyes and his own scowl matched his father's. It was now noticeable where Ichigo got his facial expression from. "You guys can wait," Ichigo said, his voice deep with anger, "But I'm going."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The fairies were guiding her to an unknown location, but she had no choice but to trust the fluttering of their wings. The wind slapped against her skin and the ground cut into her feet. Not only being extremely aware that she was being chased, but her scowl deepened for she was being chased naked.

"Why am I always naked?" She growled once more.

Chest burning, legs tensed, and lungs on the brink of collapsing Rukia's eyes watered from the unplanned pain. She thought about morphing into the trees but she would lose Momo's cross bag which carried the talismans. Her hands beckoned her wand but she remembered she lost it to the sea. Rukia pushed her body furthermore, but it began to protest and fell willingly to the Glass Orb's command for rest.

The fairies were more in a panic than she was as she began to slow down. The hooves were getting louder which only increased her anger, fear, and guilt. What was she going to do? She didn't know where she was in the Realm. The Fairy Godmother who was going to help her died protecting her. She feared for the lives of the fairies guiding her. She worried for her mate who she had last seen in the frigid ocean water reaching for her.

The thought of her mate contained a power she never realized before, because all she could think about now was fighting.

He was waiting for her and she wanted to meet with him.

She wanted to see him, and not only him but everyone else: Rangiku and her baby, Momo and her husband, Isshin with his twins, Renji, her father, Ishida and Inoue, the entire pack, the Other councils, Kenpachi and his daughter, her mentor, the Shibas, Kon, and so many others.

A tear slipped passed her and she inhaled sharply as unfamiliar emotions clung to her heart: They were waiting for her to return.

There was nothing she could do on this side but she remembered her words to Ichigo. In a sudden jerking stop, Rukia turned to face the creatures following her.

Sharp tugs at her hair and chirping reminded her of the fairies which she tried to ignore. The images of the magenta haired woman burned in her mind as she reached for her necklace still hanging around her neck. Ripping the necklace off her neck in a bout of anger, the red welts forming quickly and Rukia released her imprisoned sword.

Fluttering fairies' wings.

She took a deep breath.

Peering magical creatures behind trees spied on her.

She griped her sword.

Sun light crisp with magic shined through the trees' branches.

She recalled the people she cared for.

The hooves were closer, inches away from the slight curve on the road.

She felt the sting of fear from the base of her toes, climbing up and infecting her. This was it; she could not turn and run without being captured. She needed to fight because not only were they waiting for her – he was waiting for her – but she was also waiting for him, them.

"I want to go back…and be with them again." She whispered as she watched the entrance of the Espadas on the bony horses: a woman with blond hair and Grimmjow.

Rukia moved before they could speak. She brought her sword above her, unashamed at her nudity as she sent them a glare and swung her sword down. Making a cut in the wind, creating a chill in the air as the cut she made stilled, absorbed and then erupted. Both Espadas were surprised as a shot of ice passed between them, and suddenly froze them.

It was not going to last but that was the point; to delay them. Rukia morphed her sword back into a necklace, turned and ran. The fairies were more than happy to guide her now as the hooves did not appear again for ten minutes.

Rukia heard them far behind, and she needed to make a getaway that only she could do. They were reaching a fork in the road, beyond that she heard running water. Ignoring the fairies and their chirping Rukia went straight ahead into the forest. Rukia was jumping fallen branches, wincing at the pain of her feet hitting the uneven ground, and smiling as the Espadas chased her.

There it was: a cliff which presented a view of a waterfall. Now even stopping when a blast almost hit her and a curse from behind demanded she stop, Rukia rushed forward and jumped, diving into the abyss of below.

The fall was high and the mist from the waterfall obscured the bottom. This was a jump that would kill anyone and anything. However, Rukia took this leap with the faith that she would survive.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_The village of Clavis _

"Apples! Ten lanks for five!"

"Get your fresh meat here!"

"Bread for sale!"

"We have Tuna! Blowfish! Karpis! Rosenyfish! All fresh from the Lake of Sessie!"

"Fabrics for sale! Cheap Fabric from all across the Realm!"

The little boy listened to all the yells from the sellers and walked around the market, smiling at the treats being offered and stared in wonderment at the merchandises from the other world. His mother told him to just buy tomatoes for dinner tonight, but she didn't say it needed to be quick.

So, the boy wandered around, staring at everything and even buying sweets for him and his little sister for tonight. Normally, he wouldn't have enough money to buy the sweets and the tomatoes but he got a small job.

Sweets stored away, he went to buy a loaf of bread, cheese and ham, and then bought some pears, strawberries, a plum, and a star fruit. He placed the items into a sac, but stared longingly at the star fruit. He only had this fruit once; his auntie bought it for him. They were from the other world and were not only rare to come by but expensive.

A man passed by the boy and ruffled his hair, smiling as he walked on with a woman beside him. People were lively today which was a rare as well since the day of the Locked Gates. For once, it stopped raining and there was sunlight breaking through the dense clouds. It wasn't difficult to breathe today and the raiders looking for the high priestess just passed by without killing anyone for once.

The moment Others couldn't go back to the other world, everything changed for them. The little boy heard his mother talking about a civil war breaking out in the North Region. He also heard there was a bounty for the capture of the high priestess which he didn't understand. His uncle told him that the high priestess was a good person, but she was wanted.

He didn't understand why, but he shrugged it off and went to get the tomatoes his mother asked him to purchase. They were red and ripe, he was able to afford four instead of the standard two because of the extra money he was given.

The person did say to buy what he needed and the rest of the money was for the little boy to do as he pleased. He decided to save the rest of the money to buy more sweets tomorrow for him and his little sister.

Checking over his purchase, he then ran into the forest. He went up a makeshift trail that a hooded figure left him, and went behind a large tree where the hooded figure was waiting.

"Any trouble?" The man asked, face covered by the large hood and cloak enveloping the man's small figure.

Shaking his head the little boy handed over the sac, "Nope, not at all."

"Did you purchase anything for yourself?"

"I did! Dessert for my sister and me."

"She's lucky to have a brother like you."

"You should tell her that, then."

"You two fight often?"

"No, we don't but there are moments when I wish Ma would take her back to the bakery."

"Bakery?"

"Yeah, that's where Ma and Pa said they got her." The little boy smiled when the figure laughed softly. Hands opened the sac and saw he got everything that was asked for. The figure; however, pulled out the star fruit and handed it to the little boy.

"I saw you were looking at this. Do you want it?"

He nodded his head and smiled, "Yes please."

"It is yours then."

"Thank you!" The little boy chimed and the figure stood. He then noticed the person wasn't as tall as he thought he was going to be, his mother was taller than the person in front of him. The hood fell off from his head, and long locks of hair fell over his shoulder.

The little boy's smile fell slightly, "You're a girl?"

The figure looked down as she reached for the hood, obscuring her face once more, but her hair remained visible, "I prefer the term, 'woman.'"

* * *

**Hope you liked it and see you next month! **


	42. Chapter 41

**Sorry for not updating last month; the holidays got real busy for me. **

**Thanks for all the reviews and enjoy this chapter.**

**Oh, and a thanks to my beta. **

* * *

_**Chapter 41**_

_**Fruits **_

_ "Are you going to stop soon?" The irritation deep within his voice rumbled as Rukia continued to bite away at the fruit. _

_ "I am so sorry, Ichigo. However, I do not know what you are speaking of." Unlike him, her voice was sweet and higher than usual. Grinning happily she took another bite and hummed slightly at the taste. _

_ "Bullshit."_

_ "Language."_

_ "We're not in public."_

_ "I am thinking we should always be in public if you are going to speak in such an ill manner." _

_ He leaned over the table, struggling to keep his frown in place as she plopped another piece of fruit in her mouth. "If we're in public you won't want us to touch."_

_ "All the more reason."_

_ "Then, I'll touch you however I please wherever we are." She perked an eyebrow, biting at another fruit and clearly not taking his threat serious. "You're annoying me."_

_ "Normally it is the other way around…you know, I think strawberries are becoming my favorite fruit." She grinned._

_ He scowled as his cheeks stained with red. She had been making fun of him since the day he admitted his favorite fruit was strawberries. It was his favorite fruit because it tasted delicious, and not because of his name. She, of course, ignored that reason. For an entire week now, whenever they ate together, she would only bring or ask for strawberry based meals. She had the nerve to smile at him as well as she ate the fruit. _

_Not even offering the _beta_ some of the red fruit._

_ "Annoying woman."_

_ "Stubborn man."_

_ "Teasing nymph."_

_ "Boring werewolf."_

_ He tried to throw another jab at her, but he fumbled over his words and she chuckled, "Never good at articulating yourself."_

_ "I'm better at sparing with fists…not words." _

_ "Are we fighting, then?"_

_ "I say we're honing our team building abilities to work in a unit: you talk. I fight. However, if you want to call _this _fighting…I think I know how to make it better." He leaned over swiftly, pressing his lips against hers. He smiled through the kiss which tasted like strawberries, and sighed when she kissed back. _

~o~o~o~o~o~

_December 16_

A strangle of coughs woke Ichigo from his slumber as he rolled over to his side and quickly became tangled in his blankets. He covered his mouth, cursing the slight cold he developed over the past day. Eyes blurred and his mind still muddled through the dream he had; he brought his hand over his chest, above his heart as his other hand reached for the digital clock beside him. Turning it to face him, the red numbers stung four and seventeen.

Next to the alarm clock was his cell phone, lingering in silence waiting in close proximity. Breathing heavily, he leaned slowly against his mattress and stared up at his ceiling. It has been four days since Rukia vanished into the sea. His father ordered pack members to watch over him, guard him from entering the Realm. It was completely frustrating because he was already prevented twice from entering the Realm; both times he fought against his pack members until he was forced to yield by his father.

He shut his eyes, struggling to go back to sleep to a world where, surprisingly, he wasn't having nightmares. Instead, he was having dreams; memories of his past and it bounced around from when he was a child, became _beta_, tingling moments with Rukia, and to his boring days of high school.

He glanced over to his right and saw the empty space. He reached out for it and sighed. A large intake of breath and he remembered the sensation of Rukia's fingers slipping from his. His body still remembered the pressure of the water surrounding him, cold and unforgiving.

This was not the future he imagined.

He was able to admit he had the bad habit of imagining his future, imaging what life would be like if 'this' or 'that' happened. He always thought the moment he met his mate life would fall into place. They would date for a couple months, maybe a year, and then he would propose, and they would have gotten married, and maybe near the third year of their relationship they would have a child.

It was truly a bad habit. He had all of these plans, but he never could think of what his mate would have wanted because he couldn't think of what she wanted. He was flexible, a trait he needed to have growing up with a wild _Alpha _as a father and two independent little sisters. While he may have planned his future out, he was always willing to drop his plans if they were not in accordance to what his mate wanted in her life.

Now, he had found his mate and his plan actually didn't come out as he thought it would have. Rukia's plan never went beyond fulfilling her duty. She told him she never actually thought about her future, "_Normally, my father would plan my future for me. I…never actually thought I had control over it._" That night he dropped his thoughts about the future and told her they would make plans together one day after the winter solstice was over.

She laughed at him and pushed him away when he was leaning too close to her.

Nevertheless, in the loneliest of nights when he was worn and beat from a long day, he wondered how different things would be if their situation was different. Where she wasn't a container, where there wasn't a war, and where they weren't Others.

Would life be different if they were humans?

Clutching at the empty space, Ichigo knew while he may wonder about those possibilities, he never once wished they were true. He never truly wanted things to be different because while there were many horrible moments, in the midst of them came the most wonderful memories of his life.

He has fallen in love with Rukia more than once since he met her.

"I can't wait," he said softly. Rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his hair he leaned forward, pausing as he heard the beats of his heart. Legs swung over to the side, he stood up tall and stretched out the kinks in his back.

The lights from the streets barely dimmed through his blinds, and when he pushed the blinds away he saw a pack member standing guard. The werewolf growled out in offense, but shook it off and went to the restroom. He quickly showered, changed, and went downstairs for coffee.

The dripping of his coffee machine intertwined to the sound of toast being shot up in the air, and the sizzling of eggs being cooked. He took his breakfast and placed it on the table next to the three large maps of the Realm, the scattered papers, pens and pencils, and even rulers.

He began to look and work on the maps of the Realms. The same way he had been doing since he arrived home from the night the cruise ship sank. He read over the notes given to him from Urahara, witnesses, and pack members as he ate and reached down for the map of the human world.

It was as equally as marked up as the maps of the Realm.

Steadily, he had been trying to figure out where Rukia landed in the Realm from where she was taken. Urahara had the theory of the human world and the Realm being able to match up perfectly; that there was a pattern but no one actually figured that patter out. Then, unlike the human world, the Realm was always moving and shifting.

Nothing was consistent there including Urahara's theory of the pattern.

The Realm was now the main concern for the Others. The hollows attack had stopped completely in this world and commenced in the Realm. Reports kept flooding in, the death rate had steadily been rising, there were threats of war against two kingdoms, and civil war in one of the largest nations in the Realm. Instead of uniting together in a time of panic, the kingdoms, countries, and small nations were up in arms.

Ichigo finished his meal, but the plates lay on the table as Ichigo reached, set, grabbed, and placed his hands all over the materials on the table. Hours passed without his knowledge, he only felt the ache around his temples and leaned back. He was surprised when strands of the sun's light streamed through the blinds of his windows, and stung his eyes.

He looked over to the microwave and saw that it was past noon.

Yuzu and Karin were expecting him for lunch, he promised them the night before. Yawning, he stood and stretched, and planned to head to his room to dress when his phone rang.

The caller ID wrote Karin's name, and thinking they wanted him to fetch something at the store before heading to his father's home, he answered nonchalantly. That brief moment of relaxation halted, and his stomach tightened when he heard Karin's normally aloof voice tensed and frightened.

"I don't understand you!" Ichigo shouted, squeezing the phone tight.

Karin was breathing in deeply, calming herself down as she repeated her sentence once more, "We can't find Yuzu."

"What…what do you mean you can't find her?"

"She's been gone since this morning. She left to go shopping around seven thirty, and she's not picking up her cell phone. Daddy already has the pack searching for her." He heard her pause; her voice slightly trembled as she spoke the next words as carefully as she could. "I think…someone took her."

The knot in his stomach dropped, dragged his outer shell down and left his inside vulnerable as he thought about his youngest sister. Unlike Karin, Yuzu was more helpless when it came to self-defenses. She preferred to not fight at all, and only enjoyed morphing into a wolf for outdoor strolls instead of changing into a werewolf. Sadly, it was not in her nature to fight and she didn't even like the thought of fighting. When their father tried to teach her she began to cry at the thought of hurting someone else.

"Dad has the pack searching, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then, I'll call Tatsuki and arrange a search party for her."

"I'll tell dad."

"Okay...I'll be over in a bit."

Farewells were given, and the line buzzed as the information sank into the tips of his fingers and toes. Without much thought he threw a coat on, grabbed his wallet, phone, and keys, and left. On the way to his father's home, Ichigo called Tatsuki and asked for a search party. The female werewolf quickly agreed. She knew the twins since they were in elementary school; they felt like sisters to her.

The call ended, and Ichigo felt a slight relief knowing that the police force would also be searching for his sister. Ichigo coughed deeply and thought over every place she could be as he sped pass a red light. Honks from cars cursed for their owners as he saw at a corner of a street Urahara. The blonde haired man was waving his fan at him, gesturing him to stop.

Briefly, he thought about ignoring the old man; however, he needed the wizard's help. He swept in with windows rolled down as he barked at the man to get in.

"In a rush?"

"You know damn well I am," The wolf growled, coughing once more at the low tickle in his throat.

Inside the car, Urahara watched the wolf for a moment before shifting his gaze outside to the moving streets. "I really don't think Yuzu-chan is here," he said.

Fingers gripped the steering wheel, "Why?"

"Because around nine in the morning a portal was activated, and the guards stated they saw Yuzu around that very time. Your father sent werewolves to search. They found your sister's scent, and it stopped at the portal."

"So you're telling me my little sister is in the fucking Realm!?" Ichigo barked, shaking his head. "With no way back?"

"I believe she is. We can still search and make sure, but ..." Urahara dipped his hat, hiding his eyes. "Yoruichi decided she'll be traveling to the Realm tonight with or without the knowledge of Yuzu being sent over there. She wants to find Rukia-san."

Ichigo slammed on the breaks, propelling both Others towards the dashboard, but Ichigo had enough strength to constrict his head from hitting the dashboard unlike Urahara. "I'm going with her!"

"Why did you do that!?" Urahara cried, holding his nose that was beating red.

"I'm going with her."

"I heard you that first time!" He squeezed his nose slightly and blood smeared his hand. "You didn't need to stop all of the sudden to tell me that. She wants you, Renji, Ishida to go with her."

"Does my father know?"

"Nope," Urahara leaned back, frowning at the pain and at the title Ichigo gave Isshin. Never once did he hear the young werewolf call the _Alpha_, 'father.' A sharp pain from his nose brought him back and he took out a cloth and dabbed his nose. "And I don't plan on telling him until after you leave. Isshin is trying to protect you from the perils of the Realm."

They were speeding once more, almost at the Kurosaki's household. "I don't need his protection," Ichigo growled.

"As his son you'll always receive it even if you don't want it. You'll understand one day if you become a father."

The statement sent a jolt through Ichigo, but he chose to ignore it and kept driving. Plans for the future will be discussed and fall in place when needed.

Now was not the time.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_December 17_

The tavern's door slammed open with cold winds and a single man stumbling in. The guests of the worn establishment laughed at the sight of the drunken man and decided to celebrate the merriness of a drunken man.

"To Tetsuo, one of the finest men I even had the pleasure to get piss ass drunk with!" One of the woman said, laughing as the others agreed and clank their cups of warm beer with hers.

The tavern was a place of cloaked misery. It smelt of dirt, water, alcohol, and piss. It was humid and damp, lighting from the candles was low and there were tables–small and large–filled with a diverse population of humans and Others.

There was a single plant in the far corner of the tavern, near the unhygienic restrooms where even the owner and workers fear to trek in. Waiters and waitresses would slam the customers' drinks onto the table, causing the drinks to sway and spill over the rim. Then, every hour or so someone had to break a fight and throw someone or a group out of the bar.

The tavern itself was located in the town of Calgon, one of the highest ranking towns for crimes. Calgon was a large city for criminals, where the law enforcement did not dare to trail in or through without an army behind them. The streets were made of crumbling stone, horses intermingle with the criminals, buildings were falling apart, but no one bothered to mend the damages. Liter filled the streets intensely as people who did not have a bed to sleep on would sleep on whatever they fell on.

A town where everyone wore somber colored clothing, dimmed and muted to not catch the attention of an unwanted person or audience. A town where the only time folks got along was when they had pints in their hands, money for bets, bribes, or a bumbling good time in bed.

That was why the people of the town exploded with talk when the fallen drunk man limped to the counter and stated there was a lost pup near the outskirt of the town.

"What are you talking about, Tetsuo?" A man asked.

"Ignore him; he had too much to drink." A centaur muttered.

"No! Really, I saw…I saw a lost pup. A werewolf outside, young, but most of all she bears an uncanny resemblance to one of the daughters of a certain pack _Alpha_." Tetsuo grumbled as a waiter slammed a drink in front of him.

"Which pack are you speaking of?" A lamia asked. Intrigued as she slammed her own knife next to the drink he tried to reach, "Drink later. Talk now."

"She's right…what pack?" The man asked, and when he saw a hooded figure near the far right turn his head towards them he whispered to the drunken man, "Quietly."

"_El Llave Negro de Destino_," Tetsuo slurred before finally grabbing his pint and drowning the content down his throat, coughing at the burning pathway it made.

"The daughter of Kurosaki Isshin _and _sister to the equally moral son of his Kurosaki Ichigo," The lamia pronounced dramatically as she grabbed her knife and motioned to the group behind her to stand. The long cape she wore parted and exposed her serpent body, "Well then, let's help the lost…pup."

Near the outskirts of the town, the confused Yuzu glanced down the path to the town. She wondered if it was safe after witnessing some gruff looking men taking the same path into town. It has been more than ten hours since she fell into the portal.

Sadly, she wished she could say it was because she wanted to go and save her brother's mate, or even to help the people of the realm. That, however, was not the case. She simply got curious, snuck past the guards who thought she was delivering a message to someone from her father, and she tripped into the portal.

Now, here she was lost, but not alone. Six hours of searching for a town, city, or even village, and after she cried for a good twenty minutes when she fell through. She stumbled across a creature. A creature she recognized that belonged to Rukia.

Kon, the ageless lion cub, was reportedly missing after he left to find Rukia. They quickly recognized each other and were extremely happy to join up. Yuzu extremely willing to carry the cub after she saw the poor condition he was in. He was worn, dirty, covered in bruises and cuts, wet from the light snow, and starving.

Kon was, after all, a house pet.

So, another four hours passed and they were still looking for a town until they found the Calgon in front of them. "What should we do, Kon?" Yuzu asked, hiding in a bush covered in snow in case someone passed by and spotted them.

"_I say we skip this town. I don't like it._" Kon said, not too fond of the large male figures from earlier. He knew right away they were in a dangerous area of the Realm, he knew from the many times he traveled to the Realm with Rukia. "_We should get going_."

"But…what if we don't find another town soon? We need to get you fixed," She reasoned with him, but the cub shook his head.

"_They won't help me, or _us." He stressed, "_Please, let's go._"

She looked downhearted and mumbled softly to him, "We need help though…it's cold."

"Do you need help?!" A high pitch voice called out from behind, Yuzu tensed and scolded herself for not paying attention as waited for the woman to pass by. Hoping she was talking to someone else but the woman called her out, "Little girl…behind the bush I'm talking to you." Gripping Kon, Yuzu gulped before she stood and left her hiding place. The woman stood with a group of thieves behind her. "What's your name, pup?"

"I…I believe," Yuzu stepped back with a small voice, slowly remembering the English language. "Um, I don't need your help."

The woman frowned, wiping the end of her body in front of her, coiling itself as she placed her hands on her waist. "Oh…we're not good enough to help you?"

"N-no, it's not that. It's just that I…don't think you can help me."

"_Yuzu…this isn't good,_" Kon said.

"However, thank you for offering. I'll just be on my way, then." Yuzu tried to give an easy smile but her heart was thumping too wildly and her hands were shaking. She gave a small bow and turned away.

An axe was thrown and landed next to her face, on the tree she was about to pass by. Shaking she fell to the ground, tears already streaming down her face as she heard the woman again behind her.

"My oh my, that could have torn your pretty face right off." The scaly hand gripped Yuzu's hair, pulling the young werewolf's head back. "Listen well, Miss Yuzu." She paused when Yuzu stiffened at her name, "You're right. We can't help you but you, oh so very can help us." The woman settled her head against Yuzu's, lips touching her temple, "Really, what is the daughter of an _Alpha_ doing all the way out here? It must been a Gods sent."

"Please," Yuzu chocked out. "I just want to get home."

"Then you shouldn't have left it in the first place." She smiled against her skin. "Get up."

The claws of the woman's hand bit into her arm and forced her to stand. Holding onto Kon who was struggling to get loose and distract the criminals Yuzu was jerked to a stop. The woman stopped walking, and the thieves stopped their chatter.

There was a noise in the woods.

It echoed around them clearly, but they couldn't tell what it was.

It sounded like a whistle, first low until it gained speed and volume.

"What is that?" One of the female thieves asked, already taking her sword out and stepped forward, crushing the snow loudly. "Girl?" She looked pointedly at Yuzu, "What is that?"

Yuzu shook her head, not knowing what it was and the claw in her arm tightened. "This is not the time to fool around, pup." The serpent woman said, dragging out her words. Yuzu began to cry again when the whistling became the sound of a whip, and from the woods flew an object which hit the serpent woman.

Arrows then flew from the woods. Arrows pinned a man to a tree through his shoulder and hands. Other arrows landed deeply into the skin of the thieves. Another low whistle and then a snap came, a second pair of bolas entangling two of the thieves together.

As the group scrambled to get a steady defense, a figure on a horse galloped up through the road and through the confused thieves. Not bothering to slow down or stop the figure swooped down and captured Yuzu's waist. Hauling her up onto the protesting horse, Kon and all, she laid on her stomach confused as she was taken away.

Yells from behind became small yelps and low chatter as she escaped with the hooded figure. Shaking and tightening her arms around Kon, she looked up at her savoir who looked down at her, "Can you sit up?"

She nodded and sat up, nervous at never being on a horse and the horse was adamant on not having her on him. "Put this on, hurry." The figure handed her a cloak, and once the large fabric rested on her body, and the figure pulled the hood over her head the horse calmed down.

"Apologizes; I forget horses are not too fond of you werewolves."

Yuzu gripped the cloak and nodded her head, "My dad said it was instinct for horses and other animals to…avoid us." The person behind her was much larger than her, and it was Kon that quickly called out to the hooded figure.

"_Where's Nee-san!?_" Yuzu tensed once more and turned around, eyeing the man. "_This cloak smells like Nee-san! Where is she!?_"

The man laughed loudly and animatedly, "Oh you adorable plushie! It's been a long time since I've last seen you!"

"You…know, Rukia-nee?"

"Of course, I was meeting with her in that town when we overheard that group of thieves. You're lucky that Miss Kuchiki was there. She caught your name quick." The man grinned and Yuzu caught the sight of braided hair and a mustache.

"_Where is she now?_" Kon yelped.

"I don't know," The man answered.

Yuzu hugged Kon tighter to her, "This cloak…is Rukia-nee's?"

The man didn't answer for a long time as they gallop away, and it wasn't until the sun set and they reached a river he answered. "Yes…it is. It's a special cloak," He began, "She acquired it from a gypsy not too long after she arrived to the Realm. It hides not only your scent, but your presence from those who are able to track you. She wanted me to tell you that you can never take this off. As long as you are here in this Realm, you are in danger."

They were off the horse, resting after traveling for three hours in full gallop. "That's why she's not here with us. She gave up her cloak for you and is currently running and hiding…hoping she won't get caught by the Espada." He filled his canteen.

"She was the one attacking from the woods?" She was working steadily on Kon's wounds. Wrapping bandages around his cuts and cleaning the dirt from his fur.

"Yes."

"_Is Nee-san alright?_" Kon struggled in Yuzu's grip.

"From when I saw her in the tavern she was doing pretty well."

"Why isn't she with us? Or met with us?"

"Like I said before, the Espada are looking for her. Do you really think she'll place her mate's little sister in danger by traveling with her?" He saw her frown in the faint light, the hood hiding her eyes. "I forgot to tell you my name," He said and she looked up surprised, completely shocked that she never asked for his name after three hours of traveling, and him saving and protecting her. "I am Don Kanonji at your service, milady." He did a dramatic bow.

"Kurosaki Yuzu," She said with a smile.

Don Kanonji filled his canteen with water and grinned at her, "Well then, Miss Yuzu, it's time for us to leave."

"Um…where are we going?" The young werewolf grabbed Kon and was helped onto the horse named Clove.

"_Is it somewhere with Nee-san? Or a place that has food and maybe a bed?_"

Don Kanonji laughed wildly again, "Better!" His volume then became low as Clove trotted the forest trail. "Where we are going is a protected land. Only those with light in their hearts are able to pass through its defenses. A place where we are going will have food, beds, showers, Realm entertainment and some earthly entertainment, and most of all it's the place where we are going to meet with Miss Kuchiki."

Yuzu smiled largely at the things he listed off, but the smile grew small as she thought of her home. "Will there be a away to communicate with my family?"

"No. Communication between the Realm and earth is cut off. You are able to contact someone here within the Realm but anything beyond that…it's useless." Don Kanonji tried his best to sound sincere and he whispered his apologizes to the young werewolf when she began to cry.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"You didn't find her." Isshin repeated. The _Alpha_ looked at the pack member in front of him. The _Alpha_ lost his temper, grabbed the chair next to him and launched towards the wall. "Keep looking, then!"

The pack member scrambled out of the room after a quick nod. Isshin stared at the closed door of his office. Panting heavily in anger as he tried to figure out what to do; however, no matter how logical he tried to be, he couldn't. He didn't want to think about his daughter being in the Realm. A land where criminals were not captured and trailed properly, thieves and murders ran free, and he was considered an enemy of many criminals.

"She's not there," He assured himself. "She's here…somewhere."

"For such a great leader, you're completely useless the moment something happens to your pups." Urahara said, entering the room.

Isshin gave a dimmed glare and sighed, "She's a little girl."

"She's a young lady in high school."

"That doesn't take away that she's _my _little girl who is missing somewhere in this damn city!"

"Realm," Urahara said, reaching for the bottle of scotch and a cup.

Isshin shook his head, "She's not there."

"Your own subordinates confirmed your daughter was near the portal."

"That does not mean anything," The _Alpha_ stressed every word.

"She fell through and _do not_ excuse me as I say this; but, you need to stop acting like a father and act more like an _Alpha_ right now." He drowned the scotch before looking over at Isshin, "She needs an _Alpha – _not her father – to help her."

Isshin grabbed the scotch from Urahara's hand and drowned a large amount himself. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, "I…can't leave my post as _Alpha _here. Not now."

"Send your _Beta_."

"I can't send Ichigo!"

"Why not?"

"He's my son!" Isshin growled, "I won't have two of my children in the Realm with no way back."

"You're thinking as a father, not as an _Alpha_."

"That's because I'm a father first, and _Alpha_ second. You know this damn feeling as well." Isshin barked, "You're a father too."

"And I know sacrifice."

Sitting down in his large chair, Isshin took another swing of his scotch, "What do you mean?"

"Moments ago I bid a goodbye to my wife who is entering the Realm to look for Rukia and your daughter. The mother of my children left because she took it upon herself to attempt a proper rescue. I would have objected to it; however, she did not go alone." Urahara took a sip from his cup, frowning at the bitter liquid and tilt his hat further down. "She took Ishida, your new pack member, Renji, and your son." Urahara could see the snap of rage across the _Alpha_'s eyes, but he kept quiet and took another sip.

Isshin's left eye twitched, "She took him?"

The blond man pursed his lips, "Well…he went voluntarily."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Her hand slid over her mouth, stiffening the heavy pants as she hid behind a tree from a small group of humans. Truly, she never has been terrified by humans but here in the Realm where she wasn't able to use her magic without having it scream, "Here I am!"

She was frightened.

Truly petrified knowing that she was alone, fending for herself. No one she knew that cared for her was looking for her in this Realm. Those who were looking for her here either wanted to kill her or capture her.

She didn't have her father hovering over her every move, knowing he would steady her if she stumbled over her shoes. Renji who used to stand behind her as she climbed up trees and pull pranks. Ishida, who was more than a nanny to her than she liked to admit, guiding her through her social life of being a wealthy man's daughter. Ichigo who stood by her in the pages of her journal and even after the sip of the fatal tea.

Never once had she been abandoned, and here she was always trying to abandon everyone else. These thoughts flashed in her mind and guilt dragged her lips down deeply, "_I am a horrible person._"

"Find her! I don't care how, but we're not leaving until she's tied over my damn horse!" A voice roared loudly, swiping through the trees in a large dust of heated flame.

She flinched at the bellow and stiffened a gasp. Shivers raked down her back from where she stood behind the thick cold bark of a tree. Rukia shut her eyes as she tried to control her breathing and counted slowly in her mind. She hated when she was afraid. When she lost control over a situation and she was barely able to retrieve a wisp of strength.

The humans here were clever with hunting people, and especially Others. Of course, the group after her was extremely trained bounty hunters who spotted her fifteen minutes after she left Don Kanonji. Heavily armed, on horses, and they had dogs looking for her. In the midst of winter and against the white snow, she was an easy target and she had no choice but to run.

Luckily, she took a potion to hide her scent as a precaution and the dogs can't pick up her scent. It was unfortunate that she couldn't hide her track like she could with her scent. She wasn't a hunter. She had basic skill in most weaponry but she never truly used those skills outside the training fields. Then, she barely had any experience in an actual undisturbed forest area unless it had a manmade pathway. Stumbling through the woods she snapped twigs, pushed bushes and plants aside, and stepped on everything making an obvious trail for the hunters.

They were getting closer and they fanned out looking for her. No matter what direction she made she would alert either the humans or the dogs of her location. Slow, deep breaths swept through her veins. The cold bitter winter felt wonderful, and she smiled at the thought of Rangiku. The fox woman simply could not do her Lamaze breathing without dramatically leaving the room with a large swish of her blond hair.

Those seconds of fears were banished from her. That wisp of strength solidified in her fist, and she felt her breathing relax. Staring straight ahead of her where trees littered among the scenery. Fingers grasped the lost strings of her earlier plan and she formed a mutilated plan of escape.

Hands evened out the leather corset over her white blouse. She counted once more to the lovely number five before she sprinted from her hiding place. The heavy leather boots she wore pounded against the ground and she could hear them behind her. There were shouts and howls from the dogs chasing her and she could hear alongside the loud beats of her heart and the gush of running water.

The mutilated plan stitched together firmly and created a lovely but sheer quilt of possible success. All she needed to do was destroy her clothing and escape into the water. Leave no trace of her belongings for the hunters to take to an Others to find her.

Briefly, she wondered why any simple plan anyone made was so close to drink but it has to be spilt in the last seconds. The slip of a clumsy hand she supposed.

Warmth bloomed in the lower right side of her back as she held a whimper in when the arrow pierced her from behind. She felt it move as she kept running at a slower speed. The hounds that were following her by sound now had her scent.

The blood leading them to her.

Pressing a hand quickly to the spot she was bleeding from, holding the arrow still in vain. She found the body of water she heard and shook her head at the sight of a small creek with no river or stream attached to it.

"I cannot use that," she huffed.

Nevertheless, she took the flint from her pants pocket, took her clothing off and yanked the arrow out of her in a blind white flash of pain. She allowed the cry to escape her as tears bubbled out and squeezed her eyes shut. Her limbs, right down to her fingers and toes shook as she slammed the arrow onto the ground. The blood mixed with the dirt and snow, creating a disgusting rusted copper stain.

She apologized to Mother Nature and the forest creatures as she reached for dry, fallen leaves and surrounded the arrow with them. Another pile was made with her clothing and another with the boots she was wearing and her belt. Three small piles and she lit each one on fire with the flint and the surrounding twigs and leaves.

Soon, it created a larger fire.

The hounds already found her when the fires combined, and the hunters found her when she looked over her shoulder with her hand pressed firmly against a tree bark. The hunter, the leader she supposed, stepped around the growing fire and glared.

He snarled at her, "Yield!"

"No," she said and sunk into the bark.

~o~o~o~o~o~

When crossing over to the Realm the body momentarily lost its gravitational pull to the earth, and its mass. Some liked to believe the bodies become gas, an air substance and combined with the mint chill of magic which numbed the specks of bonding atoms.

It happened in the few seconds of crossing, lasting the same amount of time when walking through a doorway. It was a fleeting moment with a lasting impression, and many react differently to this sensation. For Renji, he preferred to vomit while the rest burned with a small headache.

Seconds after, Ichigo and Renji sneezed in unison at the sudden change of aroma. The air that was once sweet was heavy and tart. A recognizable stench pulled at Ichigo's senses, "I smell smoke."

"I see smoke," Ishida responded as he pointed to the coiling smoke from ahead.

"Forest fire?" Renji asked.

"Doubt it," Yoruichi said, making her suspicion fully aware to the rest. Grabbing her pack and swinging it onto her back she began to run towards the smoke, "Come on. There might be trouble!"

Following their appointed leader, the group got their own packs and sprinted to the fire. It didn't take long for them to arrive to the outskirts of the fire. The heat brushed their bodies in stinging waves and the fire was roaring in angr. There wasn't anyone helping to put the fire out because everyone was trying to escape it.

They stopped and looked at the fire which became overwhelming and spread rapidly. "Holy shit," Renji huffed as the cold he first felt shredded into dissolving layers of sweat at the sight of the wild fire.

Ichigo looked around for anyone and heard the whimpering sound of victims in the fire. "Someone's inside!"

Yoruichi took a hold of his coat from behind, growling at him to stop. "There's nothing you can do!"

"Damnit, let me try!" Ichigo yelled.

Ishida avoided Yoruichi's hand as he attempted to run in to help whoever was stuck in the fire but got scorched from the flames instead. "Fuck! We can't control this!" Ishida said, "We need to get away now!"

"If we leave this be it'll consume the entire countryside!" Renji barked at Ishida, "We can't leave!"

"To think I'll be using this and so soon," Yoruichi muttered as she let Ichigo go and reached into her bag. She took out a small bottle with a grey-blue liquid inside, slightly misty on the top, and dropped it to the ground. It was still intact until she slammed her boot on the bottle, crushing it and the liquid inside raised up into the air. Going higher and became collective mass of dark clouds.

"Yoruichi…what is this?" Ichigo asked when rain fell on them, warm rain that expanded and expanded until it covered the whole area of the burning forest.

"Rain potion, obviously." She answered as the fire died down, the flames reduced and the embers hissed until they finally drowned. The fire left a black smear across the land and from the woods came a small broken group of people.

"Who's that?" Renji asked.

"Like any of us will know that answer," Ishida said and stepped forward to offer help.

The four member group consisted of three men and one woman. The woman and one of the men were helping another fallen member while the largest of the group member stepped forward. "Is there anyone left?" Ishida asked the large man.

"None which are alive," He answered.

"Do you know how this happened?" Renji asked as he helped the others set the injured man onto the ground. He was checking over his burns and was relieved that they were only minor wounds.

"Of course I know how this happened." The leader grumbled, "It was that witch."

Yoruichi perked an eyebrow at that. This side of the realm didn't have many witches, and witches usually were kind to the forest since it became part of their home when they were shunned from their villages ages ago. Ichigo bristled slightly but kept clam as Yoruichi continued to talk. "Does this witch have a name?"

"Not only a name, but a bounty." The female group member said as she stood and handed a folded paper to them. "She's a dangerous one."

Yoruichi grabbed the paper, but didn't open it yet. Instead she took a moment to look over the small group and came to the conclusion of what they were, "Bounty hunters."

"The best in this sector of the Realm, missy." The leader proclaimed but his voice became low and he growled as he thought about the woman he was chasing. "But that doesn't mean we don't get fooled from our prey time to time. It wouldn't be fun or a challenge if we capture every single criminal that come our way." He slammed his fist against a tree in frustration, "This is the first fucking time something like this happened to me: I lost my dogs, my group with the exception of those behind me, my equipment, and my horses."

He was breathing heavily, rage filled him, "That dirty criminal deserves to be burned in a fire just how she burned this forest. Selfish. Unkind. Sneaky little bitch, and I'm going to enjoy watching her burn after I capture her."

Ichigo scowled at the aura coming from the man, and Ishida and Renji both stepped away from the man. Enjoyment from torturing someone or even anyone was not meant to be enjoyed from anyone.

Yorucihi stood silently as she opened the paper and saw the wanted poster of the witch. "You saw her?"

"Sure did. I even got the honor of piercing her with my arrow."

"How long has this been out?"

"For a month now, and this is the first sighting of her since it came out. I need to report it…but to think she used to be from a noble family."

It simply ticked and then clicked into place for Ichigo as he snatched the wanted paper from Yorucihi's hand and staring right back at him was a frontal shot photo of his mate, her name and worth written below her photo. "Ichigo," Yoruichi called his name but he was deaf to her as he stepped forward and rammed his fist to the leader's face.

"Ichigo. Enough." Yourichi said but she stood and did nothing as Ichigo sent another punch to the leader's face.

"You fucking shot her." Another punch. "You want to see her burn." Another punch. "You son of a bitch!" Another punch and Ichigo pushed himself away from the human. Breathing heavily as he glared at the man.

The rest of the group scrambled to stand and help their leader, but once they felt their wounds and weary bodies sway under their feet they ran. Abandoning their leader and hoping he won't find them; their leader wasn't so kind to those who were cowards.

"Where is she?" The _beta_ asked.

"Es-escaped," He muttered. "She e-escaped."

~o~o~o~o~o~

The desperation for air to enter her body strained her throat as the occasional coughing interrupted her, and her harsh wheezing was loud and drummed through the clearing. She ran for an entire day only stopping for water and other vital necessities; those breaks only lasted for a minute or so before she started to run again.

However, beneath those hurtful intakes of air, the tremble of joy she felt when she entered the clearing overwhelmed her; relieved that she was almost safe. Even when her body felt heavy, dragging her down to the floor the moment she touched the large old willow tree in the clearing. Even when she felt the absence of every solid object around her with the exception of the tree she leaned on. Even when she felt the cold from the tree behind her as the wind chilled her body, sending a few snowflakes to her bleeding feet.

She was pleased that she arrived.

Rukia held her wound close with one hand and lifted the heavy lids of her eyes. Her vision was hazy but she could make out the outline of the small cottage with snow on the roof resting beside a lake. A single stable settled close by the cottage but the fence door was wide open. It looked shabby and run down, and heavenly.

The thoughts about food, perhaps a bath, and a bed called to her, and she used those desires to accumulate energy to move. She prepared to push herself up from the ground and took a deep breath, but when she blinked the afternoon sunlight was gone and she was surrounded by darkness.

Her legs numbed and her arms felt as if they were chained to the earth, but her breathing was almost back to normal. Shallow compared to earlier. The pain from the wound finally entered her mind completely, and the fire that grinded into her back made her wince as she stood. "I wanted to sleep in a bed. Not near one." She muttered to herself.

The house was still there, resting beside the lake but neither of the two windows was lit. "They are here...they made it," she reassured herself. "They just have to be sleeping."

Rukia pushed away and dragged her feet to the house, blood still pouring from her wound, and she wondered how much blood she lost. Multiply times she stole pieces of clothes from travelers when they weren't looking, and burned them after they were at the point of dripping. She even burned her wound to decrease her bleeding.

Rukia thought of Yuzu many times when she was running, and wondered why she was in the Realm. She wondered if she was injured or hurt. If something happened in the real world that made her come to the Realm. A spike of panic shot through her as she began to worry about Karin. Was she in the realm too? She needed to look for her too.

The neigh of a horse stopped Rukia in her tracks and she saw Clove. "You are here…that means that they're here." Rukia released a relieved sigh, "Oh, you precious horse." The horse stepped towards her and settled next to her, offering his body for support. Rukia tried to smile as she curled her arm around the horse's body. Taking in the warmth the large animal gave off, melting the chill from her body she briefly thought of Ichigo. Wondering if he was this warm in his were form when she touched him, such details were not written in her journal and as such were lost to her.

"Such a good boy," she whispered to him as they slowly moved; in no rush to remove herself from the horse's heat. Rukia tripped over herself many times, her legs not strong enough to carry her anymore but she pushed on and leaned more of her weight on Clove.

The entrance to the house was a few steps away. She noticed the undisturbed piles of leaves under the thin sheet of snow around the cottage and the broken swing next to the entrance. Letting go of Clove and giving him a soft pat on his head, she went up to the doors. Climbing the three steps as if they were steep hills and touched the double doors handles.

The sloop of the metal handles heated beneath her palms as a pattern burned awake on the door, the long curved lines carved into the wood, glowing dimly of yellow fairy dust. From the larger coiled etching the light veined out into the minor lines, shallow and thin veins. Rukia's head leaned against the heavy wood and pushed the double door open.

The moonlight streamed in and illuminated a small area of the large entrance of the surprisingly large cottage. She saw part of the round entrance table with a lone lily in a vase in the center of the table. The grand staircase on the left was hidden in the shadows, and the doors behind the round entrance table were close.

"It smells of cinnamon," She said and crumbled to her knees.

"I am bleeding here, Don Kanonji!" Rukia yelled, "And I need clothes!" She struggled to stand up again with the help of the door knob. The expectation of the old mage to come downstairs laughing loudly with healing potions and a coat wasn't met when she heard the small pounding of many feet hitting the floor boards from upstairs. Then, those small pounding intertwined with soft steps.

"_Nee-san!_" Kon appeared from the top of the staircase and scurried down the steps, crashing into the wall from the speed he was going. The lion cub shook the impact off and kept running towards Rukia, crying in relief. "_You're alive, Nee-san!_"

"K-kon?" The surprise from seeing the cub lit into joy as she reached out with one hand and cupped the lion's cheek, "Why are you here?"

"_I came to look for you!_" He answered with cry and pushed himself in her arms, "_I'm so happy!_"

"Kon…."

From above the staircase, beyond where Rukia could see, there was another yell, "Rukia-nee!" The earlier soft steps became louder as Yuzu appeared from the hall entrance on the right. Yuzu still wore Rukia's cloak, hugging it close to her body as she held a blanket in her other hand. The young werewolf looked down at Rukia and began to sob as she saw the condition Rukia was in.

"Rukia-nee," She cried as she rushed down the stairs, almost falling from the long cloak tangling with her legs. Nevertheless, she made it to Rukia without tripping completely but she fell onto her knees and cried harder when she mere inches from the fallen witch. "You're hurt," she cried but she still offered the blanket in her hand as large tears left her eyes.

"It happens but are you hurt?" Yuzu shook her head and Rukia smiled but it quickly fell as she asked Yuzu about her sister, "Karin? Is she here?"

Yuzu momentarily laughed as she shook her head again, "N-no. It's just me." She grinned through her tears as she thought over her accidental arrival to the Realm. "I got too close and fell," She said in a soft choked hiccup. "It was an accident."

The smile returned to Rukia as she sighed, "Yuzu…."

"Rukia-nee?"

"You cannot…."

"Rukia-nee?" Yuzu whimpered.

"I am…" Rukia looked at Yuzu and she heard Kon cry her name before she slipped into the darkness of her mind.

_**December 22 Winter Solstice **_

The day of the winter solstice arrived and for more than twenty four hours, until it was the twenty third in every area of the earth and realm, not a single Others nor Other-aware human were at peace.

The adults tried to act normal but their friends felt the strain every single time they glanced at a clock. The parents tried to act happy for their children, mentioning to them time over time how much they loved them but the children felt the anxiety from their parents and worried to themselves.

Byakuya did not leave the garden from his home in DC. He watched the sun rise and set the same way he watched the moon lift from the ground and slipped into the sky. He waited with his servants constantly bringing him food and tea.

Isshin spent the date watching over his pack and city; he patrolled his men and sent them home at night to be with their families. He ate every single meal with his daughter and when night came, he took Karin to the cemetery to see Masaki and stayed there until they were asked to leave. The rest of the night he sat in his living room, watching the front door and listened to the slow breathing of his daughter sleeping in her room.

Urahara took his children to the amusement park.

Chad worked the day away.

Tatsuki spent the day with Inoue but she never took off her radio from her belt.

Keigo went to his sister's home and apologized to her, he had dinner with her for the first time in two years.

Each council member left to be in their home country, all watching the sky or grounds for a sign even when they spent their time with their loved ones.

Rangiku with the help of Momo and a reluctant Hitsugaya finally decorated Rangiku baby's nursery.

In the realm Yoruichi watched the sun dial until night fell. Took slow sips from the alcohol she brought and looked at a photo of her family. She thought of every single moment of her life and kept at heart the day her children were born.

Renji drank with Yoruichi and watched over the campfire, he was responsible of not letting it go out. Every few hours he left to chop wood and never stopped until Ishida made him.

The elf looked over the campsite as a whole. He cooked, cleaned, washed, and took care of the rest. He made sure Yoruichi ate and drank water. He made Renji take naps after chopping wood for three hours in the cold. He saved Ichigo meals. Then, he practiced his aim with wooden targets until it was completely destroyed. He didn't bother to sleep.

The _beta _werewolf ran through the woods and climbed the tallest mountains he could find and watched the sky for the entire length of the day. Like many, he looked for a sign. He looked for his mate. He looked for his sister. He looked for the beginning of tomorrow.

They all waited in a uniformity of a community. All felt the chime of each second. Felt the slowness of the day as they waited and waited in silent torture for the next sunrise. They hoped to not hear, to not see, and to not touch the suffocation of evil and despair in their throats.

Tormented they waited for the day to end and they did not know that the renewer was fast asleep in a bed, in an enchanted cabin and apart from society. They did not know that she had been asleep for many days in the care of a young werewolf, a magical lion cub, and a mage. They spent their day in worry as she spent hers asleep with her body covered in bandages and her tattoos glowing dimly.

Tomorrow came.

They were alive for another year.

* * *

**Thank you for reading and please review. **

**Lots of Love,**

_**Blueteam**_


	43. Chapter 42

_**So sorry for the month and a day late/wait! My beta became super busy but things are back. My writer block is currently gone and **_**if _everything goes as plan for my writing, this fic will be done by chapter 48/49. Almost 50 chapters...sorry for that._**

Once agian, sorry for waiting and thank you to those who messaged me about their concerns if I was updating.

Thank you and enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter 42**_

_**El Mundo Detrás**_

_"What if you get hurt again?"_

_ "Then, I will get hurt."_

_ "That's not comforting!"_

_ "And I do not want to lie to you."_

_ Yuzu turned around, not wanting to face the older woman, not wanting the witch to see the tears beginning to form in her eyes. It's only been a week since Rukia collapsed in the entryway of the cottage; most of Rukia's wounds were healed with the exception of where the arrow pierced her. Now, here they were. She was cooking dinner as Rukia sat on a chair, arms resting on the table that were usually covered in vegetables, meats, and spices. _

"_I…I can help." She said in a small voice, hands worried the apron she was wearing and she could hear the boiling water. "I can smell enemies and hear them. Ichi-nii taught me since daddy was busy with the pack."_

_Rukia stopped deepening the knife she had in her hands and glanced up from the apple she was cutting. "I will be visiting once or twice a month," Rukia tried to continue the conversation as if she didn't hear Yuzu, but she could not ignore the quiver of resistance in Yuzu's shoulder as the young werewolf stirred in ingredients for the broth they were having for dinner. _

"_Ichi-nii taught me how to control my body so it wouldn't hurt as much when I morph into my were form. I can help." She repeated, "I can help."_

_The witch went back to her apple, smiling in admiration at the strength of Yuzu's words, they were such large promises for such a young woman. Nevertheless, such words would not sway her. "I am leaving tonight at eight; hopefully, supper will be ready by that time."_

_Yuzu twisted from her place in front of the stove, mouth open and determined to argue with the witch, but the words died from her lips as she saw Rukia leaving the kitchen. _

_Later on that night, Yuzu never felt as angry as she did now. She stiffened her lips from releasing a pain whimper as she glared into the broth she made. Don Kanonji ate his meal in peace, ignoring the werewolf's angry aura. Kon picked at his food before he glanced over at the empty spot where a bowl of broth lingered in silence. He wondered about a time where this world was different for him. _

_It was barely seven and supper was ready for the last ten minutes. Tears fell from Yuzu's eyes as she choked out angrily, "She lied."_

~o~o~o~o~o~

_**4 Months later**_

"Of all the people I can be stuck with…why you?"

"It's been more than a three months," Ichigo growled at the elf, "Get used to it!"

The elf couldn't help but snap at the careless werewolf, "Who gets kicked out of a _village_!?"

"A village of thieves!"

"Who are the best to get information about the underworld of the Realm. We're more likely to get information about Rukia-san from them than any other source!" Ishida huffed as he took out a cigarette; hand covering the end as he lit it and huffed heatedly with smoke escaping from his nose.

Frustration beamed out from Ichigo and he knew he ruined their chances on getting information about his little sister and his mate. Nevertheless, he didn't want to find them under these kinds of actions. His loved ones were better than that, and he didn't want to be swallowed up by the existing darkness in his heart. Ichigo slumped down on a stump, frowning as he mulled over the past four months.

Twenty days after entering the Realm he and Ishida got separated from Yoruichi and Renji after an attack by the Espada. The Espada found them quickly; but, they still couldn't find Rukia and thought Ichigo and his group already had her. Luckily, they didn't have her and, unluckily, they were unprepared to be attacked by thirty Espada members.

They had to run.

Yoruichi and Renji took the horses and escaped by ground, and that was the last he and Ishida saw of them over the past four months. Ichigo and Ishida took the mountain roads, scaling the walls easily. When they were far enough and could prepare for a battle, Ishida took to the trees, aiming at where the Espada would come from. Ichigo stayed on the ground emerging into his beastly were form and waited for them out in the open, wanting their focus on him and not on Ishida.

They arrived and the two Others attacked the members of the Espadas. It took longer than they would have liked, but they defeated them all. Before they would question the remaining members that did not run away, a woman with blond hair appeared and blasted them away and she killed the remaining living members.

Ichigo cursed loudly when he saw all Espada dead, and he wanted to go look for Yoruichi and Renji but Ishida was too heavily wounded. The elf's hands bled from all the arrows he shot, cuts stormed horridly on his hand and even sliced up to his elbows in certain areas. Ichigo had a wound on his forehead after he transformed back into a human when a lone enemy caught him off guard, and instead of wasting energy in transforming into his animalistic form Ichigo saved that energy and supported Ishida as they searched for a town.

They went into a nearby town where it took three days for the elf's hand to heal. They returned to where they had last seen Yoruichi and Renji, and they couldn't find them since. Now, more than three months later, they gained little progress. They still cannot locate the remaining Others on their team, and still cannot find Ichigo's little sister or any information on his mate.

The _beta _werewolf was an impatient man, but for once he knew he needed to contain his temper if he wanted to find his loved ones. He shifted his gaze away from the trees and down to his satchel. He reached down to the leather bag, flipped the tendered material flap and dug into the cavity to take out a map and a pen. The pop the pen made when it was open caught the attention of the elf, Ishida watched as Ichigo crossed out the village they were just in, and read out loud the next town: "Crois."

"How far is that town?"

"A three hour walk," Ichigo smirked, "Less for me if I decide to ditch you."

The elf glared at his companion and took another drag from his cigarette. "We should have at least stolen the horses," Ishida grumbled and extinguished the roll of shredded tobacco. "Let's get going then."

They treaded along the trail, speaking a few words to one another as they kept themselves occupied. Ichigo's nose kept catching scents from animals and plants and his ears picked up on all the acute noises in the woods; but, his eyes remained on his map. He tried to deduce where his little sister or Rukia could have landed in the past four months.

He and Ishida had been working on the map on their own. They still couldn't communicate with the real world, and the portal to enter the Realm had become sealed off as well. The last Others or person reported to cross over was little more than two months ago.

They have covered most of the eastern lands in the realm excluding an island. Surprisingly, the Realm was not large as many thought in comparison to the real world. The realm could fit in Europe, islands and all, quite nicely.

Midway through the hike Ichigo glanced over at the elf momentarily, tempted to ask the elf for a smoke to save his nose from all the raging scents overcoming him. However, he gave that inquiry up when he noticed the scowl on the elf's face as he looked over his blue dyed leather journal.

Ishida mulled over the written passages of information in his journal, all were leads and possible theories of the vanished witch. Many of the leads were dead ends and the theories were all rumors that he and Ichigo collected through their journey, and they made almost no sense to him or were too vague. Rukia was smart enough to not stay in the same place and not use magic, but it made it incredibly difficult to find her.

Then again, if she did use magic she would be easily located.

In truth, Ishida was surprised they haven't found Yuzu yet. The elf didn't like to mention the missing werewolf to the _beta_ since it usually got Ichigo extremely riled up. Ichigo would have been able to sniff Yuzu out if she was in close radius, but they haven't and that was quite peculiar. Yuzu was one girl, a werewolf that was obviously not part of this realm and could have easily found shelter with some kinder souls.

Yuzu has good instincts when it came to strangers and she was a smart girl too. The only theory he had about Yuzu was that she doesn't want to be found, and he knew why since she was the daughter of a powerful _alpha _and sister to an almost equality powerful _beta_ – Kurosaki's pack were not well-liked in the Realm for their liberal position in Others politics. The bigger question that had the elf scowling was _who_ was hiding Yuzu and for what benefit.

"We're here," Ichigo announced and his nose twitched at the town's unusual scent.

Ishida shifted his gaze up and saw the whimsical, periwinkle gates of the town, Crois, which had the name of the town swept in the center of the gate in gold. The trees and bushes beside the entrance, and even the road leading up into the town, seemed to be trimmed in sphere and given curved shapes to add into the cuteness theme this town seemed to play on.

"Shit!" Ichigo scrunched up his nose and fingers pinching the skin close. "I can't handle this. The scent is too fucking sweet," he complained.

Ishida grimaced at the gateway–it was truly obnoxious looking–before he threw a cigarette at Ichigo which the werewolf caught softly. He took the cigarette and lit it, a long drag was taken and he felt relieved when the sweet scent was covered up in smokes.

"So, same plan?" The smoke left his nostrils in sweeping wisps after he blew out three circles from his lips.

"We search, question, present photos, bribe, and so forth." Ishida mumbled, "Same ol' plan."

"Ain't that wonderful?"

~o~o~o~o~o~

The slam felt against her back woke Rukia up from her deep slumber, her eyes widening in shock as a cough erupted from her throat. Her eyes darted around and she saw a dark figure in front of her, hands about to close a door on her. "Wait!" She wheezed, hand out in a plea when the wooden doors shut on her and she was incased in darkness. Wood panel walls surrounded her. Only a streak of sunlight from a dingy hole burst into the small box she was in. She dragged herself up, forcing the sleep from her eyes away as she pounded against the doors. "Let me out!" She shouted, "I have money! Jewels! I can pay you!"

No responses.

No voices.

Only the neighing of a horse as the carriage she was forced in started to move.

The cool wood against her forehead made her sigh in annoyance, "What an utterly infuriating situation." A scowl, which would have made Ichigo proud from the intensity of it, took place on her lips as she moved to lean back on the wall she was first thrown against. Absently she reached to rub her throbbing back from the painful impact and thought of her situation.

Truly, of all the things that could happen to her she just had to fall asleep and be kidnapped. It was the worst timing for her neurological disorder to kick in and bite her in the arse. "Now, how will I get out of this?" She wondered aloud to herself.

Glancing around her wooden prison she tapped her finger against the wall and noticed it was brand new wood–oak, actually. It would be stupid of her if she tried to break down the door, more likely than not if she tried to escape she would get her foot stuck between the wood panels or break her leg. Either way she doubted she would even be able to escape easily with a wounded foot.

How embarrassing would that be?

Nevertheless, she needed to escape. The confinement she was in was emptied, and she did not know what happened to her items. The bandits didn't bother to throw in her luggage with her and she didn't hear the thud of it being thrown on a horse or on the wagon she was on either. If someone with abilities in magic found her stuff, they could track her and she would extremely prefer for that to not happen.

As frustrating as her situation was, Rukia kept calm and simply let her mind wander for a bit. Idly she pushed her hood off her head, combing her hair to the side and freeing the locks from its entrapment within her robe. After a few months, the short locks were now long once more and curved under her breast softly.

With her hair out of her face, she then patted her robe down; looking for a hard block which pressed against her back when she was thrown earlier.

"Hello, lovely," she said softly to the small black leather bound book when she took it out of the inner pocket within her robe. Opening the journal to the first faintly yellow stained page, Rukia saw ink bleed up from the sheet of paper. The ink created a calendar with sweeping slopes of black liquid marks, circling the current date for her as well as indicating the time at the bottom of the page.

It was three in the afternoon on the fifth of April which meant she had been asleep for four days. Not bad. Normally, it would be in the region of two weeks when the grains of sleep summoned her. Flipping to the back of the journal, her lips twitched to a grin as she peeled off the heavy silver scissors she had hidden in case of an emergency. Metal and extremely sharp, the handle was covered in a padded pelt and fit into her hands perfectly.

She placed her journal away, and it weighted the cloak down slightly. Then, she waited for a moment where the trekking of the horses stopped and the kidnappers took a break to rehydrate themselves and emptied their damn bladders. It could have been hours or mere minutes, Rukia did not know, but she felt the slight jerk of a stop – she thanked the heavens – and it was her time to move.

"Where should I begin?" She asked as she leaned back on her elbows. She placed her foot on the door and was about to count to three when she heard a yell from outside, "Unless someone started without me?"

There was scuffing, enraged yells and curses, and the unsheathing of swords. "_Are the bandits being ambushed by another group of bandits_?" She thought, "_How ironic. Surly, I must thank them for unintentionally rescuing me._"About to lean her head close to the wall to hear the battle outside a sword plunged into the wood, mere inches from her face, letting light into the small wooden cell as it was yanked out for battle once more.

Eyes wide, Rukia glanced at where the sword almost struck her and its entrance, and once more at where it could have pierced her and ended her life. She cleared the knot that formed in her throat when shouts from outside called her attention, she couldn't make out what they were fighting about but she did know that someone was thrown against the wooden chamber she was in. Her box rocked at the impact, and she hoped it was one of the bandits that kidnapped her.

However, Rukia frowned when the rocking did not stop and she quickly placed her feet and hands against the walls for balance as the sway became longer and exaggerated. "I am in here, you know!" She cried out angrily as the wooden prison tilted to the far left. The nymph paled during the seconds of being sideways and in the air before the prison landed on its side, dragging the poor horse with it as well.

Disorientated, she laid on her stomach – on her journal once more was pressed against her stomach angrily – and was facing the thick oak door. Rukia noticed gleefully that the hinges were broken after the harsh impact. "Lovely," she whispered. She gripped her scissors as she crawled towards the doors, pushing it open with her free hand with all her might. She leaned back and gave a vigorous push until it fell open and crashed onto the ground.

Crawling out, she looked towards the conflict wanting to get the faces of her captors and unknown saviors. The adrenaline boiled away from her blood and her legs slackened from the tension when she saw what she assumed to be her savior.

"Why on earth…?" She mumbled.

Stilling her fist and tilting her head over to the husky voice, Yoruichi smiled widely as she set her gaze on Rukia. The magic teacher dropped the man she was beating onto the floor without batting a lash, and stepped on the groaning man's chest as she crossed over to the nymph.

"Rukia! We found you! Oh, it's a good thing we found your bag, and that Renji opened it!" Gathered into Yoruichi's arm Rukia felt exhausted as she smelt the wood scent of the forest in her teacher's hair and the leather and wool from her clothing. Yoruichi talked more yet it was deaf to Rukia's ears, words which reminded her of the sounds heard from under water. Buoyant and supple words smoothed down from her ears and dripped to the tips of her fingers.

The state of confusion she was in grabbed her by the head, pressuring the muddle puzzlement she felt together with the uncertainty which slowly crept in. She was far from where she originally was, the smells were different, the air lighter, and the trees were slowly blending into pines.

Rukia saw her piece of luggage on the floor, next to the bleeding man dressed in royal garbs of blue cotton and gold tinted trimming. The wooden chamber she was in was shaped in a noble's carriage, disguising her cell skillful for the peasants of the upcoming town. The horses, one tied to the carriage while another stood freely with a saddle on her back, were chestnut brown. The horse connected to the carriage was already standing and shaking his head from the fall and they were uniformed in the same colors of her captors.

"And to think we almost overlooked finding your bag too." Yoruichi continued with a happy chirp in her voice, and caused Rukia to move away from her teacher.

"We?"

"Renji came too; he just went after the other guard who ran into the woods." She let go of Rukia, hands sliding down the nymph's arms as she grinned brightly. "Look at you…doesn't seem like you've been gone for that long."

"It has been four months," Rukia said in a low voice, unsure how to reveal that it felt longer for her. "Who else is here? Is he –?"

"Don't," Yoruichi's voice dropped a tone, graveling deep and solemn, "You will regret asking that question, and you will dislike any answer I give you."

Yoruichi witnessed the faint gentle expression on Rukia's face fade into admonish, the corner of her mouth hardened as she took another step back, keeping a distance between them. Muscles became rigid once more, tensed and coiled; ready to burst on Rukia's command.

"What are you here for?" The chill from her voice gave away to the distrust she had towards Yoruichi.

"Four months here and you're already this paranoid, Rukia?" Yoruichi joked, attempting to coarse Rukia into a comfortable state which did not work.

"Hard not to be when almost everyone above the age of sixteen is trying to imprison me." Rukia watched Yoruichi's hand, the movement of her fingers, cautiously. "Now, why are you here, Miss Yoruichi?"

"I'm here for you," Yoruichi answered with an easy smile, testing the level of Rukia's distrust once more by stepping forward. The corner of Rukia's lips twitched in amusement of Yoruichi's action as she, herself, took two steps back, letting her actions answer Yoruichi's.

The smile fell and Yoruichi stepped forwards again, "I'm here for _you_ because it's time to end this, Rukia." Yoruichi turned her left hand over, showing the palm area of her long brown glove and she pressed the center of her palm. "This battle cannot escalate further," A pulse came from the center of the glove, and the vibration echoed in her body. The glove slowly began to form rigid lines of light, glowing brightly and menacingly. "Kisuke made this prototype a long time ago. It's called the 'God's Glove.'

"However, he discarded this after realizing what it is capable of doing: reaching inside a person's body and extracting his or her soul. 'It's dangerous,' he said. Well," Yoruichi touched the fingertips of the glove, concluding the nausea she felt came directly from it, "Mayuri got his hands on Kisuke's blue print and made the 'God's Glove,' but better than Kisuke's. Kisuke's is only a one time deal, after its use…that's it. Mayuri's, on the other hand, can be used multiple times."

Rukia glanced at the glowing glove, sensing the aura of unnatural power coming from the lit edge lines – stale and heavy, dry and mudded with her magic. Rukia stiffened her lip as she repeated Yoruichi's words in her head steadily, "Why are you telling me this, Miss Yoruichi?"

"This battle cannot escalate further," Yoruichi repeated her words. "One way or another you're going to die, Rukia and the way things are progressing…it's not going to be peaceful." Rukia flinched at the mentioning of her death, and watched as Yoruichi walked towards what Rukia assumed to be Yoruichi's pack. The were-jaguar pulled out a large mason jar, made of a clear glass which reflected the prism of color when it hit the sun, a glass which was only known to be produced in one location in the Realm which she sadly did not remember where.

"I can save you the pain." Yoruichi said quietly to the jar before she turned to face Rukia once more, voice louder now. "If I take the Glass Orb and place it in here, its power will not dissolve and it can last beyond the winter solstice. You don't need to be there Rukia. The renewal ceremony only needs the Glass Orb – not you. I can take your place and you don't need to suffer anymore, your loved ones don't need to get drag into this anymore. Like Yuzu. Did you know she's been lost in the Realm for almost the same amount you have? And it's because you entangled that poor girl into your life_._" Yoruichi opened the jar and threw the lid to the side.

"You don't need to run or hide in fear anymore. You're able to have the pressure of the whole goddamn world off your shoulders. No more pain, Rukia. I can save you from all that. I'll take the orb out of you and guard it. You won't need to worry about it anymore in this lifetime. We'll defeat Aizen and we'll save the world without you needing to suffer any longer. You won't drag anyone else into this mess. You can finally sleep. I can protect it from them…let me save you."

"Execute," Rukia quickly chimed.

Yoruichi frowned and reprimanded, "Euthanize."

"I am not an injured animal," Rukia waltzed over to a tree, seeing Yoruichi tense when Rukia placed her hand on the bark. "No matter how you strive to euphonize it, Miss Yoruichi, you desire me dead."

"I want to save you," she stated and placed the Mason jar on the ground.

"When did death became equivalent to saving?"

"When the only way to save us is by killing Aizen. Death is another form of saving…protecting."

"Not in that way you currently wish to use it."

"You are refusing to see the whole picture, Rukia. This is not only about you. It's about _us_ as creatures living in this damn world. You're risking our survival! You're so eager to throw your life away for everyone that you even allowed your memories to be erased…because you felt you were contaminated by your feelings for that _beta _werewolf. So eager to die on the day of the solstice…what's the difference between dying now, by my hands, and then?"

"There are still items on my agenda that require my attention to which I am quite enthusiastic to complete before my death during the winter solstice." Rukia shifted her weight to the left and sighed. Standing tall, Rukia's gaze shot into Yoruichi's, "Apologies if my _eagerness_ to save everyone blinded you from my desire to live until then. You have wasted your time."

"No," Yoruichi sped forward, her hand gripping Rukia's neck as she raised the God's Glove up, "I haven't."

Fear swept over Rukia as she watched the God's Glove wearily as it got closer to her chest, "Miss Yoruichi…please." Rukia felt paralyzed and she wondered if the fear she felt overtook her body. Wondering if it was too grand for once and she wasn't able to hold it back or hide it under a layer of pompous aloofness she usually enjoyed displaying. Or, perhaps, it was the God's Glove which made her limbs still and slowed her thoughts.

"This is it, Rukia," Yoruichi's hand tightened its hold on Rukia's neck, feeling the quicken pulse in her neck even through her leather glove. "I'm assuming there is nothing left you want to say."

Rukia gulped and kept what she assumed to be a storm of fear barely at the rim of her self-control. "There is," She finally whispered.

"Let's hear it then," Yoruichi pushed Rukia back slightly, taking the nymph's reach away from the tree.

Rukia felt the slight increase of her breathing, the pressure of tears forming from her eyes but she smiled through the strangulation, "I will not go like this and certainly not by your hands."

Yoruichi scowled at the words and striked, the God's Glove mere cemeteries away from Rukia's chest when Rukia took hold of Yoruichi's wrist, stopping the attack. The God's Glove was smooth to the touch, but Rukia felt the sickening power from it within the seconds she touched it before she rammed Yoruichi's hand against the closest tree and thrust the sharp scissors she held in her free hand deeply into Yoruichi's palm and into the tree bark.

The grotesque sinking of the scissors into Yoruichi's palm caused pain to erupt from Yoruichi's mouth, loud and powerful from the core of her lungs. The nymph sunk her nails into Yoruichi's grip around her neck, and wretched herself away. Stumbling back and watching the cursing were-jaguar attempting to remove the metal scissors from her flesh which pinned her to the tree. But every damn movement sent pins of acute pain throughout her body, and the natural magical abilities Rukia had gotten from her mother made the tree slowly entangle branches around Yoruichi's hand.

Rukia's hand went to her chest, feeling the erratic heartbeat underneath before sliding the hand to her neck where she winced at the tenderness. "Rukia!" Yoruichi yelled as she tried to stand but the movement caused the scissors to move within her flesh which made the pain seep into her feet, "Rukia!"

The yell from her teacher tapped against Rukia's conscious and the nymph walked around Yoruichi, far from her grasp and marched toward her pack that Yoruichi and Renji brought and used to find her.

"Don't you dare fucking leave, Rukia!" The yell combined with her feline roar made the hairs behind Rukia's neck rise as she gathered her things and set them on a horse, tying them on securely. "Don't leave me here!" Quickly taking the harness and unbuckling the horse from the carriage Rukia stalled when she grabbed the reins. Breathing heavier as the fear slowly resided but the aftermath still bathed her in hashed beating waves.

Rukia glanced back over her shoulder, and took in the image of her teacher, extremely upset and cursing, and still attempting to free herself from the tree.

"Get back here!"

One second.

"Release me from this damn tree!"

Two seconds.

"Rukia!"

Three seconds.

And Rukia swung her leg up and over the horse, setting herself on top and she took hold of the reins. Pulling her hood over her head and with a jerk of her hands she was hastily riding away, ignoring the sounds from behind as hot tears finally left her eyes, blearing her vision but she did not care. Everything came out in forms of tears and soft sobs as she rode away into the sunset.

Never before feeling as alone as she did now.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_The Town of Crois three days later_

"We got nothing," Ichigo grumbled and bit his apple irritably, "again."

"Maybe it's because of your scowl," Ishida snapped back, "or all the smoking you've been doing." As far from what Ishida saw there was no one in this town that seemed to smoke or drink. "Three days of asking around and no one seems to know who Rukia-san is."

"Bunch of bullshit in my opinion; they're too scared to even look at the wanted poster."

"Damnit, more than four months of searching and all we have is this damn wanted poster!" The edge crumbled in Ishida's hand was Rukia's wanted poster, blankly staring into the sky with a stoic expression imprinted on her face. "You would think we would find her by now, and if not, Yuzu by now."

"Yuzu's a smart girl," Ichigo stated softly, "she's probably staying out of sight somehow which is why I can't catch…her scent. Yuzu is fine," Ichigo said, mostly to himself in reassurance. Ishida said a low curse and smoothed out the wanted poster, distracting himself from the worry he and Ichigo had for the young werewolf which kept them both up at night.

"Excuse me, sirs." A youthful voice caught their attention. Ishida looked right while Ichigo glanced up from his seat on the ground. The voice came from a young woman, tall with almond butter hair, and she wore a brown cotton dress which had a few patches here and there. "I hate to bother you two on such a fine day; however, my son wishes to speak with you." The woman stepped aside and from behind was a young boy and behind him was a younger girl. "Now, Henry, hurry and tell the man what you wanted to say."

The young boy nodded and stepped forward. The younger girl did as well and kept her grip on the boy's shirt. The boy noticed and looked back at his mother, "Mama, please make Annabelle stop tugging on my shirt."

The woman smiled and stretched out her hand, "Come now, Annie. Let's get some bread for supper tonight."

"But Mama…Henry –"

"Your bother will be just fine," The woman shot a look to Ishida and then Ichigo, and gave a threatening smile, "Am I right, _boys_?"

"Completely," They said in unison as they squirmed away from the woman's intimidating aura.

"Perfect! Let's go then," The woman took Annie's hand and began to walk away before shouting behind her, "Don't take too long Henry."

"Okay Mama!" The boy shouted and then looked back to Ichigo and Ishida. "Hello, sirs I'm Henry."

Ichigo was the first to respond, he immensely enjoyed interacting with children unlike Ishida who was uncomfortably shifting from foot to foot. Ichigo stood and walked towards the boy, and once he was close enough he kneeled to be at eye level. "Kurosaki Ichigo," the werewolf pointed at himself and then at Ishida, "Elfboy."

"Ishida Uryu!" Ishida snapped at the werewolf.

"Nice to meet you," Ichigo said and shook the boy's hand, grinning as the boy went into a slight shock from seeing his hand disappear under Ichigo's larger hand. "So…what is it?"

The boy looked up in surprise but quickly remembered why he wanted to speak with them. Henry looked over at Ishida and then at the wanted poster in his hand. He pointed at it which caught the two Others' attention right away. "Is that a bad lady?"

Ichigo stared at Rukia's wanted poster and studied her face quickly for the tenth time that day. "No…in fact, she's an extremely good person." Ichigo responded.

"Well, are you two bad people?" Ichigo and Ishida shook their heads and the boy seemed satisfied with their answer and grinned, showing that he was missing one of his front teeth. "And you are both Others, right? Werewolf. Elf."

Ichigo and Ishida glanced at each other, both tensed at the boy's words and Ichigo chuckled nervously as he nodded. "Um, yes. We are. How did you know?"

"You said he was 'Elfboy.'"

Ishida kicked Ichigo hard, but the werewolf held his sense of balance and glared at the Elf. "It's true," Ichigo stated.

"You speak that name again I will end you, Kurosaki," Ishida shot back.

"Yeah. Yeah," Ichigo dismissed Ishida's threat and focused on the boy again who appeared to be amused. "So, that's how you knew Ishida is an Elf; how about me?"

Henry looked at both of them and pointed at the wanted poster once more, "She told me."

Silence settled as both Others processed the little boy's words, and once it was properly translated and understood both shouted in surprise.

"You saw her!?" Ishida yelled, but it scared the boy and Ichigo punched the elf's knee.

"You met Rukia?" Ichigo grinned at the boy, who took a step back, to ease him. The boy relaxed faintly and nodded his head. "Where?"

"Calgon! My auntie lives there. Miss Rukia asked me to get food for her since she wasn't allowed to enter the village. I wondered why but she gave me lots of money, enough that I bought sweets for later!" The boy grinned largely, "Before she left, I asked her if she was looking for someone because she looked like my sister when my sister is looking for Dusty, our dog. She said she wasn't, but she was hoping she would find a werewolf with weird orange hair."

"Weird, huh?" Ichigo frowned but the corner of his mouth truly wanted to tick up in a smile. Even if the words came from a child, they were Rukia's and it warmed him.

Ishida got down to meet the boy's gaze, "When was this?"

"A week ago," The boy responded happily and both Others were ecstatic, and the boy wondered why.

"Do you know where she was heading?" Ichigo asked next, eagerly waiting for the boy to answer.

"I don't know where; but, I had my compass and it said she was going west."

"Are you able to tell us where Calgon is located?" Ishida took out a pen and his journal.

"It's the town next to this one…you have to head north though," Henry grinned and then dug into this pocket. "Can you give her this for me, as thank you for the sweets she bought me and my sister." He handed Ichigo a little blue pouch, "Inside is a wishing rock, you make a wish and throw it in water like a river, or a stream, or a pond. My papa brought it from his trip to the Holy City of Artois." The boy then leaned in and whispered, "I heard while wishing rocks are rare it is very common in the Holy City."

Ichigo gripped the pouch and smiled, "Is it now?"

"Yup!" Henry said before there was a shout from behind from his mother. "Sorry, I need to go. Thank you!" He shouted before he left.

"Thank you, Henry!" Ichigo shouted back and gave a feeble wave as the boy slipped his hand into his mother's. The rock was physically light but for Ichigo it was the heaviest pebble he ever held. "We need to get going," Ichigo stated, still focused on the rock. "We could be a couple days behind Rukia.

"We'll find Rukia, she would know some type of spell that can find Yuzu and then we have to wait for the solstice." Ichigo felt his body sing, "Everything is going to be okay." He said and for the first time since entering the Realm, he believed it.

"We need some supplies first: water, bread, fruits, maybe some cheeses and ham." Ishida stated as he turned to go towards the market near the heart of the village, next to the large bronze statue of a man holding a torch. "If we get everything now we can get going before the sun sets."

They both were not expecting a black hooded figure brushing between them, and Ichigo wasn't expecting the wishing rock the boy had given him to deliver to Rukia to be stolen right out from his hand. "Shit!" He bit out and turned to where the figure ran off to, "He took the rock!" Ichigo sprinted after the figure with Ishida close behind, yelling at him as he did.

"It's just a rock! Let it be!"

"No!" Ichigo shouted, passing by trees as he saw the figure take a sharp left into the forest. "If it wasn't for Henry…" Ichigo never did finish his sentence; he instead increased his speed after the figure who was surprisingly fast.

In the thick bristle of the woods, Ichigo ignored the urge to turn into a wolf. The figure didn't have a scent so hunting him by scent would not work, and then he didn't want to turn because of Ishida. The elf could easily lose sight of him if he turned especially with the hooded figure increasing his speed every minute.

"He's fucking fast," Ichigo growled.

"Then, hurry and get him!" Ishida shouted from behind, gradually building an unwanted distance between him and the werewolf.

"But," Ichigo gritted his teeth and trusted his instinct, "he's leading us somewhere."

"What!?" Ishida shouted and he then realized what Ichigo meant. The figure wasn't evading or hiding from them, and he should have known that Ichigo can't track him through scent since he had none. The figure took them off the path and into the woods, but he didn't seem lost and didn't bother to look back to see if they were still chasing him.

Ichigo glanced back and with an affirmative nod between the two, they followed the figure without question and they followed him for what seemed like miles. Through the dense woods, over streams, and even a log that carried all three to the other side of a river. The figure, however, did not stop. He kept running, steps loud against the ground, and feet skillfully navigating the woods.

"We've been following this person for more than thirty minutes!" Ishida shouted as he scurried behind Ichigo, struggling to run and run at a close proximity of speed the werewolf had. "I don't think I can last anymore."

"We can't lose him," Ichigo said, only feeling an ache in his thighs, "Wait! Look!"

Since the beginning of the chase, the figure's head never looked anywhere but the set path he was making. However, there was a noise that Ichigo caught as well near the left; it was heavy thumps and fast. The figure weary of the noise ran faster and luckily missed the collision of the swift red wolf, Renji.

Renji growled and chased after the figure as well, but he was swift and almost could grip the end of his cape with his teeth when they broke into a clearing. Shocked, the Others slowed into a stop. Ishida was slouching as he wheezed for air and noticed the diamond-glittering lake with water that looked so clear and refreshing he needed to stop his legs from moving towards it.

Renji was panting and sniffed the air, almost untrusting to the area they were in before glancing back at Ishida and Ichigo, and then at the figure who was also catching his breath. Renji softly padded his way to his _beta_ and grunted before he settled next to him.

"You smell like shit too," Ichigo growled at Renji and the red wolf simply snorted.

Ichigo ignored Renji while he panted heavily as well and glanced around the clearing. Surprised at where they followed the figure to and from the sudden appearance of Renji. He noticed the lake as well, and a small cottage before setting his gaze on the figure who was a good couple feet in front of him.

The figure made sure all Others could not reach him, and he stared at them from the shadow of his hood before he gripped the rock in his hand. A few seconds later he tossed the rock to Ichigo and the werewolf caught it with ease.

Hands, small and feeble, reached up and pushed the hood off his head to reveal it was Yuzu with bright red cheeks, sweat running down her forehead, and a large smile on her face. "Ichi-nii," She said with tears spilling down her cheeks, mixing with her sweat.

Not another word escaped her because Ichigo was in front of her now, arms tight around her, "Yuzu?" He shook in astonishment, not believing that his little sister was here and next to him after months of being missing, and she felt a few tears on top of her head. "Are you okay?"

The comforting scent of her older brother, which reminded her of when she was younger and how he used to grab the pots and pans for her from the high shelves, caused her to sob and his overly gruff voice made those sobs louder as she nodded.

Renji and Ishida stood from behind, mouth agape from the sudden change of events but soon those mouths formed smiles as they walked towards the young werewolf with her brother.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Yuzu shed her hooded cape and it now lay on Renji's naked shoulders, covering his nudity from her young eyes, as she nodded to Ichigo's constants questions of her state of being. "I said, 'I'm fine,' already, Ichi-nii," She pouted, rubbing her dry but swollen red eyes.

Ichigo released a large sigh of relief and grinned largely, "Sorry. Sorry. Just…" He rubbed her head, "glad to see my little sister is all."

"You gave us all a big scare, Yuzu." Ishida chimed in, "Falling into the portal?"

"I know," Yuzu frowned, "I already feel stupid about it myself."

"How did you survive out here for so long?" Renji asked and the blissful reunion fell slightly as Yuzu pushed her hair behind her ear and played with her hands.

Ichigo and Ishida would have glared at the werewolf if it weren't for their own curiosity as to how Yuzu lived in the Realm and acquired a cape which hid her scent and presence extremely well.

"Um, well," She began and shuffled her feet before she sighed, "how about we go inside first. It'll be better." For who? No one knew and Ichigo assumed it was more for his sister's comfort than for the rest of them.

"Wait," Ishida said suddenly and looked at the red haired werewolf, "Where in the hell did you come from?"

Renji jumped and began to fumble out an answer but it sounded illogical and it wasn't long after that he simply said, "I'll tell you in a bit."

"Yoruichi?" The elf asked, "Where's she?"

Renji turned away from them and repeated his answer, "I'll tell you in a bit."

Ichigo glanced at his little sister who was casting a worried gaze at Renji. He rubbed the back of his head and decided to demand the answers to those questions later, once his sister was asleep to not burden her anymore than necessary. "Let's get inside, Yuzu," He reminded her.

Yuzu lingered slightly as the sun began to set and nodded. Silently, they followed Yuzu to the small cottage, wondering how three grown men and Yuzu were going to fit in there.

"Have you been living by yourself?" Ishida asked, admiring the clearing.

"No," she said happily, "I've been sharing the cottage with Don Kanonji!"

"Who?" Ichigo stopped walking and his voice became deep and seeped with menace.

"Oh, stop it, Ichi-nii." Yuzu pushed the door open, "It's not like that." Ichigo grumbled and soon became silent when the Others were welcomed to the warm scent of cinnamon and the sight of the rich entrance hall with grand curved stairs. Renji stepped back and looked at the small cottage from outside before he entered the echoing hall.

"This place is huge," Renji commented, "Real…huge."

"It's enchanted," Yuzu answered.

"Who is Don Kanonji then?" Ichigo continued to ask and took in the decoration and valuable furniture of the hall as he entered the cottage as well. Then, he stopped and breathed in the scents that were coursing in the house. Underneath the layers of cinnamon, wood, musk, and the sweet tang of oranges he caught it. Incredibly faint and it lingered on the smooth wood of the door frame. It was an old scent and it was mixed with copper which made his heart beat quicker.

"Rukia-nee," Yuzu said softly, looking at her brother who jumped in shock and shifted his gaze to her intensely.

"You met up with Rukia!?" Renji shouted and was given a glare by Ishida and a low growl from Ichigo for yelling loudly at Yuzu.

"Hm," She shrunk away softly, "she found me on the first day here in the realm. She and Don Kanonji saved me from some thugs."

"Why is there blood?" Ichigo asked, "What happened?"

"On the first night, Rukia-nee was bleeding at the entrance after she made a distraction to let Don Kanonji and…me escape." She was playing once more with her fingers and stared on the floor.

"Is she alight?" Ichigo asked next, panic sank its thorns in him but he still didn't permit his voice to rise.

"Yes, that was about four months ago. She slept for a really long time…it was during the last year winter solstice." Yuzu went behind them to close the door, "She's fine now."

Ichigo swept his hand through his hair in relief. Squeezing the wishing stone in his hand he remembered the little boy, "Is she here?"

"No," The young werewolf said and said no more. She motioned them to follow her into the hallway with hunter green walls and lowly lit candles. The home felt old, rustic and warm. Yuzu stopped to enter a room and told Renji to follow her. The room was as grand as the rest of the house. Tall ceiling, deep blue walls and opulent furniture, there was a window with a view of the lake, and heavy burnt orange curtains which matched the bedding. Yuzu opened the closet door filled with male clothing, "Take your pick."

"A life savor, Yuzu-san." Renji smiled at the young werewolf and began to dress himself after Yuzu left the room and shut the door.

Ichigo and Ishida with Yuzu waited until the red haired man was done. Ishida watched Yuzu carefully even if he felt drained of energy after _that_ run – why couldn't they just jog in a nice comfortable speed instead of sprinting as if they were being attacked by young dragons during their mating season? Ishida grew up with the Kurosaki siblings and knew each sibling extremely well. Yuzu was fidgeting a lot, playing with her hands and pushing her hair away even if it wasn't obscuring her view. She wouldn't meet his gaze or even dare to look at Ichigo for more than three seconds.

It was clear something was wrong, and that Yuzu was hiding something from them.

Renji came out of the room, fitted in Realm garments such as soft brown trousers, a long sleeve white tunic with a loose blue vest over it. He flashed a smile, "Don Kanonji has good taste in clothing."

"Stop admiring yourself, turnip, it's disgusting." Ichigo said.

"At least I'm not covered in mud," Renji growled back.

Ishida and Ichigo looked down at themselves and sighed when they saw the mud Renji was speaking of. It covered their feet and there was splatter of the filth on their legs and the bottom of their shirts.

"Bothersome," Ishida muttered to himself as he resisted the urge to brush off the drying dirt since it would be impolite. Sadly, Ichigo didn't have the same courteous to do as he did and shook off what he could. It all fell onto the floor in lumps or flakes.

"There's more clothing," Yuzu mentioned, gesturing to the room, "I'm sure Don Kanonji wouldn't mind."

Ishida was about to take the offer, he already felt the muddy drag of his clothing on his body when Ichigo declined. "We'll change after we talk," Ichigo said, "There's a lot I want to ask and…I'm assuming there's something you want to say as well."

Ishida grumbled lightly but accepted Ichigo's answer. He may want to wash up, get in clean clothing, and sleep in an actual bed that wasn't made of sticks, leaves, or straw, but right now there were more important matters to discuss.

Yuzu stared at the floor feeling the low motion of guilt blowing against the inner sails of her mind, and it presented itself physically to them. Eventually, after a long beat, she agreed. Renji quickly gave his thanks for the clothing before Yuzu lead them, once more, further down the hallway. The house itself was quiet. A silence that felt uncomfortable to them but natural to Yuzu who has been occupying this home for four months. There was no noise or creaks, and there seemed to be no other person here besides them. Such a large house to feel hollow and lifeless, it reminded Ishida of the Kuchiki's home back in D.C.

They, also, wondered where this Don Kanonji was and who he was. A few paces more they moved to the left where there was a doorway which led to a large dining room. Yuzu motioned them to sit and entered another door at the other side of the room near the far end to fetch some tea for the three Others.

They hesitantly sat down – except Ichigo who plopped down and leaned back freely – and observed the room they entered. The dining room was as lavish as the rest of the house. Kingwood dining table with a matching of two dozen chairs – truly, who needed so many chairs? There were two large silver candelabrums that sat on the table, heavy and so polished that it casted a gleam. They were a good distance between the two, and flowers and fruits embellished the table in the midst of the two candelabrums.

The candles were lit on the candelabrums and the same with the matching silver chandelier, new candles and there wasn't a single drip of wax on the silver. There was detailed white crown molding and painting hung on the deep crimson walls. The carpet was plush and the color of cream and from that they could tell there were no stains.

"How is it that you appear to be the most comfort one out of all of us?" Ishida asked annoyed as he glanced at Ichigo.

"My baby sister found us and she's safe and has been safe since she's been here because fate was kind enough to have Rukia find her. She also knows something about Rukia and her whereabouts. How can you _not _relax and not give a damn after four months of anxiety?" The werewolf shrugged but a frown still lingered.

"I can help with that," Renji said, his voice low as he glanced at the doors which Yuzu entered. "I didn't want to say this in front of Yuzu-san but…there was an incident."

"What kind?" Ichigo placed his elbows on the table after he pushed the table cloth aside and leaned forward.

"Well," Renji began sarcastically acting easiness, "I left Yoruichi behind because I found out she tried to kill Rukia."

A loud shout came from Ichigo as he shot up from his seat, hands banged the tabletop which rattled the candelabras and the chandeliers trembled from the sound. The sudden exclamation from the werewolf startled the men in the room and made Yuzu scramble out of the kitchen in fright. She held a spoon in one hand and gripped the door with the other, tensed and eyes darted around the room.

"Explain," Ichigo demanded.

"Yuzu, please leave us alone for a moment." Ishida stood from his seat and lightly pushed Yuzu to the door she came from, "I do not believe you want to hear this."

Yuzu saw her brother scowl angrily and stared at Renji expectantly, but her older brother reassured her with a nod that he was fine and gestured for her to leave room. Her hand griped her spoon tighter and she waited for the chandeliers to stop its sway before she agreed. "Okay," the word was low and she entered the kitchen once more to finish the task of making tea and getting a small meal ready for her brother and his friends.

Renji saw Yuzu leave and gave his own growl, clearly upset about what he was going to explain to them. "I don't know what happened entirely."

"Start from the beginning," Ishida demanded and Ichigo sat back down in his seat, legs cross as he pulled a cigarette from his shirt pocket and lit it.

"A couple of days ago, Yoruichi and I stumbled across an abandon bag in the middle of the forest. It looked new and filled with who knows what. At first, she didn't want to take it with us, but with the condition of it we assumed the owner was not far off…you know, maybe the owner was taking a piss.

"So, we were going to leave it when I noticed the damn bag had no scent." Ishida looked intrigued to Renji's story, but the red haired werewolf knew from Ichigo's facial expression that he was far from captivated. "I was about to open the bag when Yoruichi noticed marks around the bag, supposedly indicating someone was sleeping around the bag for a while, and there were two sets of tracks coming towards the bag and then leaving the bag in the direction the tracks came from; but there was no third track. Yoruichi came to the conclusion the owner of the bag was taken while I opened the bag and everything from inside basically exploded with Rukia's scent.

"We found Rukia without realizing it," Renji said, yet his expression was far from joyful. Instead, his cheeks were worn and sagged and his mouth stiffened. Ichigo, on the other hand, resisted the urged to command Renji to hurry up. Instead, Ichigo fisted his hand over the end knob of his chair's arm and kept his other hand plastered to his face, over his mouth to cover the impatient scowl.

"She only had a few things but I noticed that I couldn't pick up her scent at all. Yoruichi used a spell over one of Rukia's item and we followed her track through a map Yoruichi had. What we found was her in a carriage being transported to the Holy City of Artois. Yoruichi and I agreed to take the guards down; there were only two but the one I had escaped into the woods. He was a fast fucker, used the trees to evade me until the very end.

"I took him back to Yoruichi to have her erase his memory so we don't get wanted posters as well and all that legal bullshit." The knife in front of Renji gleamed in the low light and he reached for it. It was a butter knife, rounded with soft teeth meant to cut softly boiled vegetables or freshly baked bread. "I was expecting to see Yoruichi with Rukia, smiles and happy vibes. I was expecting relief. On the contrary, I entered the road to see Rukia's bag missing, Rukia lone gone, and Yoruichi pinned to a tree with a fucking pair of scissors through her hand – sharp ass scissors too – and the tree trying to trap her with its bark.

"I was about to release her. Help her. When I saw what was on her hand." Touching the knife, the smooth polish metal underneath his fingers bent harshly, making the knife worthless as he placed the ruined tool onto the table. "The God's Glove. It was activated. And she wouldn't even look at me at first when I asked why she had that. I saw there was a jar made of translucent glass from the Hora's mountains. Then, she did look at me and it clicked and I _knew_ why she had the glove on and why that jar was there.

"She wanted to take the Hōgyoku out of Rukia and put it in the jar," Renji looked over at Ichigo, "Yoruichi said that according to Urahara…if the Hōgyoku is removed from Rukia at any point without the help of the gods, she will die."

"What happened to Yoruichi?" Ishida asked.

"She told me Rukia escaped but I left her behind. I told her this wasn't why we were here. We aren't here to kill Rukia," Renji said, "I couldn't find Rukia after I left Yoruichi but I picked up your guys' scents. I thought it was sign after some days of searching for Rukia that I come across you two."

"Can I come in?" Yuzu's voice floated in as she entered the room timidly; unsure if she was disturbing them but Ichigo told her it was fine. She carried a tray filled with sweets, four sandwiches, and a teapot with four teacups and saucers.

Ishida and Renji moved from their seats to get closer to Yuzu who set the tray near her brother. Ichigo helped his sister with distributing the food as she poured tea into the tea cups. One by one, Ichigo passed the plates and the tea cups down to Ishida, and then to Renji before he set his own meal in front of him and Yuzu set aside hers.

"Sorry, but this is all we have. I went to the market to get tea and coffee…Don Kanonji went to get food for next week," she explained after they began to eat.

"Any kind of food at the moment is more than enough, Yuzu." Ishida smiled at the young girl.

"He's right, Yuzu." Ichigo said, patting her head fondly, "We're still relieved that you found us and right now, that's all we really want."

More tea was served from the pink porcelain teapot with the pastel blue and yellow trimming; tiny red swallows patterned which matched the teacups and saucers. The sandwiches and sweets were eaten from the gleaming dishes, also matching the teapot, and only Yuzu used the silverware she brought into the dining room when she ate. The cool silver with plain pattern rested in her hand when she used a spoon to stir honey into her tea.

With the exception of Ishida they finished their meal quickly, and they all helped Yuzu pick up the dishes and take them into the kitchen. Renji scrunched his nose at the kitchen, the countertops were made of some kind of expensive stone, and the table where the food would lay on was also lavished. The walls were beige and there were two stone ovens, and at least eight stovetops which were modern in comparison to the stone stove.

They placed the dishes in the smooth stone sink, and in a neat assembly line they all helped with the cleaning. Ishida washed the dishes with a blue worn sponge, Ichigo rinsed the dishes with the long nozzle hose, Renji dried them with a yellow cloth, and Yuzu stored them away.

"Don Kanonji usually cleans up since I cook; but, when Rukia-nee is here. She helps me," Yuzu said after she put the first plate away, "with everything: from the cooking, setting the table and the cleaning…of course she makes Don Kanonji help too." She chuckled and the Others men could only guess it was from a past memory. "Don Kanonji is really nice, funny, and always helpful but I still feel lonely and when Rukia-nee is here…I don't feel so alone."

Yuzu held a teacup in her hand and traced over the pattern carefully, "Rukia-nee saved me from some thugs the first day here. She made Don Kanonji take me away and the cape I was wearing, the one you saw me in today, was originally hers. It covered my scent and my presence, making it impossible for anyone to find me, but Rukia-nee only had one at that time.

"Don Kanonji said, 'They're extremely rare items and only five have ever been made. It's a miracle Kuchiki was able to get her hands on one.' It was because of her giving me that cape that Rukia-nee arrived to the house bleeding." Yuzu placed the last dish away, "She was covered in a lot of wounds, naked, and she had an arrow in her back," Her voice cracked but the rest realized what day she was talking about; the same day she arrived to the Realm was the same day they did as well.

Ichigo still remembered the bounty hunter's face, and his comment about wanting to watch Rukia burn. Rukia did all of that, risked her life to save Yuzu and Ichigo struggled with the guilt of not being there to help them and the relief that after that incident they were both alive and not alone.

Yuzu refused to show her face as she sniffled and cleared her face from the tears, "She won't tell me what happened and she doesn't want to talk about it with me. She said, 'Everything is fine. None of it was your fault.' She got a new cape so I can keep the one I have, and she doesn't stay here. Rukia-nee visits twice a month for one day or maybe three." Yuzu touched the end of her sleeves and rolled them down to her wrists, "She always tells me what day she's coming back, and she's never late and always punctual."

Yuzu faced her brother and his friends, angry hot tears now falling, "She said if she didn't come back on the day she said I was not to not look for her…Rukia-nee was supped to be here yesterday night."

* * *

**_Thank you for reading. Please review is you like and see you next month. _**


	44. Chapter 43

**_Chapter 43_**

**_Pink Elephants_**

_April 21th_

_Murky and dimly lit, the Floral Tavern was everything a bar normally was with a poorly picked name since the only floral items that entered the tavern were customers with floral based names. There weren't a lot of people tonight which was surprising for a Saturday night. Nevertheless, many were not complaining. The creaking wood floors kept the bar from becoming silent when groups' words simmered down, and the arcane muted thoughts hung in the air. _

_The gleaming bronze liquid in most mugs kept its shine thanks to the hanging balls of light on the ceiling which flickered with every gust of wind that came through the door. The wind was sweet from the scent of spring and warm from the humid sunny day of April showers. The heavy pelts of leather and fur were removed from the shoulders of citizens as many welcomed the warm days of the year with light fabrics and soft leather boots. _

_A customer bumped into a waiter, apologizing as he did, and caused the mugs of beer he held to splash onto the floor. Nevertheless, the waiter who picked up the fallen mugs did not bother to clean or asked someone to clean the mess on the floor. No one liked to look down at the floor and see the questionable stains of booze, alcohol, piss, dirt, and splatter of blood. It has been years since it last been clean and it will continue to be for many more. _

_"Does anyone know what we are living for?" A woman cried out from one corner of the pub. She stood from her seat, swaying before she grabbed the man across from her by the collar of his shirt, "People dying and children are suffering! Another crime being committed!" The woman leaned back and sighed loudly, an arm falling across her stomach as she looked out the window to the flourishing trees under the beam of the moon. "Another heart break; apologizes, my love for not being the woman you deserved."_

_The customers of the tavern ignored the woman. She was a regular and usually came in when she fought with her husband which was more often than the woman liked to admit. "Spring…just arrived."The waitress passed the woman, mentioning to her that it was past midnight and her husband would want her home soon._

_"Why?" She stated, "I go home and all I will bring is my shame." However, with the help of two other men, the shameful wife stood and shuffled her way out and towards her home in the city of Resia. Before she left, she slammed her hand down on a table and held the gaze of the taciturn person sitting there, "This liquid courage is for the weak, missy."_

_"Well then, it is safe to assume I am weak, ma'am." The woman answered back as she drowned the remaining of her rum, and asked the waitress for her third. _

_The shameful wife pushed herself away, and once more began her trek to the door but she called out from behind her and said, "I've lived with the weak and grew up with them, and hell, I'm even one but none of them…had that look in your eyes, missy."_

_The woman watched the wife leave, pushing away the men who were helping her, and stumbled out the doors and into the night. "Ignore her," The waitress said as she set the fresh mug of rum on the table, brushing the secreting droplets of water on her apron. "She's been here almost every night for the past five years. She doesn't know anything."_

_"Perhaps," The woman said as the waitress left, "or it may be it is me who does not know anything." The woman grabbed her mug, the coiling metal of the handle under her fingers and the rough wood of the mug rubbed against her tender lips. A short sip and she grumbled for the loss of scorching heat the liquid first created when she started the night more than three hours ago. _

_Staring down into her drink, the woman saw the skewed image of herself which hazily reminded her of who she actually was. She momentarily dispersed that image by tilting the mug and drinking some of the bitter courage. _

_She sat alone at a table, slowly going through alcohol for the past three hours. She observed the men and women which filtered through the tavern. The large numbers of them were broken souls drinking the bronze valor water in hopes of flooding yesterday. _

_And she was one of the broken souls in Resia until tomorrow morning where she would travel to another settlement and join their soiled mortals for another drink._

~o~o~o~o~o~

April 8th

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"Rukia-nee was supped to be here yesterday and she's not," Yuzu repeated herself, almost angry that she needed to, "she made it clear not to search for her if she does go missing or if she doesn't come here. I think something happened to her!"

"Something did," Renji stepped forward and Ichigo shot him a glare.

"Don't."

"She needs to know!"

"And I'm telling you not to. I am your _Beta_, pup," Ichigo growled, "Do not make me remind you of that."

Yuzu got in between the two werewolves, "Know what!" She huffed, "If it's something about Rukia-nee, I have the right to know!"

"It is; but, you don't have the right to know," Ichigo said and Yuzu sent a weak punch to his chest and replicated the action over and over again.

"You can't say that to me! I've been with Rukia-nee the most these past months and I know her," Yuzu snarled poorly, for it wasn't truly in her nature since she was such a kindred spirit, with every weak punch. "Rukia-nee may be your mate, Ichi-nii; but she's part of the pack and that means she's part of our family!" She pushed herself away when Ichigo caught her fists, "She's my family too!" Tears slid down once more, "So, don't you dare say I don't have the right to know, Ichi-nii."

Watching his little sister Ichigo grumbled for a short moment, debating over informing his sister of the recent event. He tried to figure out what would come out of this if he told her, if there were any negative outcomes and besides emotional torment, and he couldn't think of one.

Ichigo sighed and the group saw the agreement on his face and it was Renji who spoke first, "Yoruichi…she tried to kill Rukia."

"But Yoruichi-san is her teacher," Yuzu said not understanding.

"Who tried to take advantage of her," Ishida said.

"It's unclear what really happened," Renji said, "I just know Rukia escaped before Yoruichi could…finish her." Renji fisted his hand, remembering the 'God's Glove,' its heavy beacon of unpleasant power, and shivered at the thought of being the victim of that power. "We came here to help. We didn't come here for _that_ purpose."

Yuzu shook her head, upset and angry, "We need to find her." She turned to her brother, "Rukia-nee thinks she's alone here, suffering because she's not safe to be around and needs to travel alone, and Yoruichi-san's action…what if it breaks her?"

"We're going to look for her tomorrow afternoon," Ishida jumped in quickly.

"Or tonight," Ichigo responded.

"It's late, and we have no supplies, Kurosaki." Ishida reminded him, "It'll be foolish if we leave."

"Or a missed opportunity."

"You think you know where Rukia is at?" Renji asked.

"If you saw her almost three days ago, and if the little boy at the market was right about Rukia being in Calgon just a week ago…we got a pretty good radius of where Rukia could be," Ichigo said, challenging Ishida's logic.

"Calgon is northeast from here," Yuzu excitedly mentioned, remembering the city she visited twice since stranding herself in the Realm.

"And I came from the east, following the tracks of the horse before Rukia abandoned it in a village," Renji gave more information and their plans began to form.

"Or we could wait," Ishida commented critically, "If Rukia-san was supposed to arrive yesterday what says she couldn't arrive later tonight, or even tomorrow? She may be simply running late. If we leave and she comes to this house, physically or magically aware that we were here, especially Abarai who she could assume was involved with Yoruichi's plan, who says she wouldn't run?" Ishida pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose, "Then, there's the matter of you, Kurosaki. She's been trying to protect herself and Yuzu by traveling alone, and finding out you are here, I doubt she'll stay around to talk. The same way I doubt you'll consent to her traveling alone for the dangers and perils out in the realm."

Ichigo cursed at Ishida's reason and tried to throw his own scrambled and emotional words back at the elf when an echo of a door slamming open gripped all of their attention. Ishida quietly pressed his hands together and stretched his right elbow back, forming a neon blue arrow in his hands, "What on earth was that?"

The werewolves took the new scent in, and while one was unrecognizable to Ichigo and Renji, the other scent matched to a missing pet. "They're back!" Yuzu exclaimed and rushed towards the door, and the rest followed her.

Ichigo and Renji then heard a familiar series of footsteps and coming straight at them down the hallway was Kon, the lion cub. "_Yuzu-nee, we're back,_" The happy cry from the cub died and so did his steps as he stared up at the werewolves and elf. "_Y-you three,_" Kon's eyes began to water heavily, "_you came to rescue us! Nee-san!_" Kon scampered forward and was looking for Rukia's bare feet – she didn't like to wear her boots passed the entryway – but he found none of her toes or dainty ankles. "_Nee-san? Where's Nee-san?_" Kon asked.

"She's isn't back, Kon." A deeper voice answered from the dim shadow of the hallway, "Truly, there is no need to worry because I, Don Kanonji, am here!" A man exploded from the shadows and landed on one knee in front of the tiny group, a hand pressed against his navy blue vest, above his shirt with layers of ruffles, and the other stretched out in an animated gesture. Hair twisted in dread locks which sprouted from his head and swept down as his moustache twitched and his sunglass fogged up excitedly.

The smile was large and while it appeared to be a smile for eagerness and enthusiastic it only made the men shrink away while Yuzu smiled back – she was used to his antics after the first week. Don Kanonji then stood and pushed his own matching cape with large golden buttons trimming the edges to the side, and crossed his arms over his chest and gave out a loud bolstering laugh.

"No," Ichigo said a second later as he grabbed his little sister's hand, scooped Kon in the other, and made a direct escape to the door in panic and, for some reason, humiliation.

"Eh," Yuzu scurried behind her brother, confused when she looked behind her to see Ishida and Renji rushing after them as well, "Ichi-nii?"

"Don't look back, Yuzu-san," said Renji.

"I cannot believe it," Ishida looked aghast, "how could Rukia-san leave you with such a man?"

"Because she asked me to take care of Miss Yuzu, of course," Don Kanonji said as he kept up with the Others trying to escape his home, looking calm for a man with flashy clothing.

Ichigo halted his movements immediately and lifted his foot up and shoved it on Don Kanonji's face, and it was Yuzu's pinch which made him drop her hand as she pushed him away from Don Kanonji. "Stop it, Ichi-nii! You're being rude!"

"I'm being rude!? This man–"

"Saved my life and Rukia-nee's," She scolded, "You should be thanking him."

"It's okay, Miss Yuzu." Don Kanonji appeared unfazed by Ichigo's action and continued to smile. "I've brought back supplies for the next two weeks and some other items as well, but with three more guests, I suppose I have to head back to town next week as well."

"Don Kanonji, Rukia-nee isn't back yet," Yuzu said to him as he walked down the hall towards the entrance.

"Who says she won't arrive tomorrow morning or night?"

"One of our allies tried to kill her three days ago," Renji sped forward.

"Then, you three aren't allies to us?"

"No," Ishida said, "We are. _That_ person, however, is not anymore."

"So? What does that have to do with her coming here? Unless she met with you three and you told her where you are heading to, I doubt she'll believe you're here." They stepped outside into the clearing once more and Don Kanonji whistled to Clove, his mare, to come. The horse had three sacks on his body, brown and oddly shaped, and smelt of vegetables, meats, and spices.

"I need to find her," Ichigo said.

"Because you're her mate?" Don Kanonji smirked at Ichigo's surprised face, "Miss Yuzu is talkative."

"Sorry," she laughed.

Don Kanonji handed Ichigo a sack of supplies without warning and the werewolf scrambled to toss Kon to Yuzu and catch the large brown bag. Kon found purchase on Yuzu, his arms hanging over her arm and his bottom securely in place in the curve of her inner elbow. "Your worry and concern is extremely understandable. Miss Rukia is your wife after all," Ichigo blushed pink at the mention of 'wife' but he and the rest kept their comments to themselves. "But you are allowing emotions to control your thoughts. Miss Rukia has been surviving in the Realm for four months without your help."

A stone felt to have been shoved down his throat at that comment, but once again, Ichigo stayed quiet. "As much as I assume it's annoying, or maybe, painful for you to do or even consider, but waiting here with Miss Yuzu, Baby Cub Kon, and I is your best choice. Especially after just finding your sister, you can't take her with you and I doubt she would stay still if you left, Little Ichigo."

Ichigo growled at the name but Don Kanonji ignored him, "Be grateful and enjoy a day or two of your sister's presence. There is no need to worry. If Miss Rukia doesn't come within a week, or even three days, I will agree that you could search for her." Renji got a sack slammed to his face and Ishida stumbled back to catch his and support its heavy mass. "You have that right. But, Miss Rukia will come back to this cottage. She will always be close to this location. After all, this is the only place where she is able to rest peacefully without the full concern of being harmed.

"To sleep peacefully," Don Kanonji looked up at the stars, watching them twinkle in the mass of cosmic colors, "Such a temptation and bliss that even the devil himself would fall prey to." He led Clove to the stable and locked him in, brushing his mane softly.

The strange older man led the Others into his house again and down the hall, to the kitchen, and into the storage room next to the kitchen. "There's more of a chance of meeting with Rukia here than looking for her?" The _beta _asked.

"What I am saying is that Miss Rukia will find you instead of you finding her." Then, Don Kanonji thumped Ichigo hard in the back in what he believed to be friendly and harmless, but left the werewolf wheezing for a moment. "And haven't you learned a thing about Miss Rukia since meeting her!? It's impossible to catch a nymph! Even the Greek Gods had difficulties capturing those beauties!

"Now, drop everything here and rest on this decision for tonight! If you still have the strong desire to look for Miss Rukia tomorrow morning and believe it is a better choice, I will give you the supplies here – roughly two and a half weeks for one man – and you can be on your merry, happy, way. Yes?"

"Yes," Ichigo answered promptly.

"Magnificent!" Don Kanonji grinned and faced Yuzu, "let's show our guests to their room! I will take…" Stopping, Don Kanonji finally realized that he did not know the name of the other two men in his home. But, he noticed their features and played off that, "The Pretty Elf to the Blue Room." Ishida sputtered and vehemently corrected Don Kanonji, but the older man paid no heed once again, "And Red Hair to the Pineapple Room because of the fruity resemblance." Renji, too, stammered out his correct name and denied his resemblance to the tropical fruit.

"What about Ichi-nii?"

"Well, for Little Ichigo –"

"It's Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"–he can have the Crème Room."

"_But that's _–"

"Nope, not another word Baby Cub Kon," Don Kanonji said and clapped his hand loudly together; "We'll get you folks some clothing, towels to dry off after your showers, and fresh linens! Are you ready, Miss Yuzu!?"

The young werewolf played with Kon's paw and struggled to agree because she truly wanted to look for Rukia and she could see it plainly on the faces of Ichigo and Renji that they wished to as well. Ishida looked more convinced with Don Kanonji's reason; he was thinking logically and that wasn't a strong trait for werewolves.

As much as his reasons made sense to her there was something in her stomach that strongly urged her to not believe those words. Rukia may return to this house, but she knew Rukia wasn't coming back within a week, or a month, or even two. She knew she wouldn't be able to look for Rukia, not because of her brother, but because she would risk her life and place herself in danger, and that was the last thing anyone here needed.

"I'm ready," and they went separate ways down the hall, Don Kanonji leading Ishida and Renji to the west wing while Yuzu led Ichigo to the east wing. Up a flight of stairs, Yuzu stayed silent with a squirming Kon in her arms. "_We're going to look for Nee-san tomorrow?_"

"I don't believe so," She answered and attempted to glance at her brother, wondering if he will agree.

"Maybe," He said, "I want to look for her but what if that crazy man is right? I'm a dog chasing my tail and all I need to do is stop and, maybe have some faith that she'll walk through those doors." Infuriated with all the thinking Ichigo scratched his head and grumbled to himself, words and phrases she couldn't understand.

"Hm." Yuzu halted and pointed at a door on the left, "This is my bedroom." She stepped forward, towards the direction they just came from and pointed to the door next to hers, "This is the linen closet." And she took another step forward, "Restroom and _that_ is your bedroom, Ichi-nii."

A few steps forward and on the right was his room. Prior to entering Yuzu pushed him into the restroom and ordered him to bathe. He did and while he scrubbed behind his ears and between the cracks of his toes, she got him fresh clothing but decided against changing the sheets of his bed. Kon followed her up and down the hall and carried Ichigo's clothing into the restroom as Yuzu changed into her own night wear.

Fresh from the shower in clean clothing and smelling the best since arriving to the Realm, Ichigo wished his sister a good night in the hall and entered his room. A breeze came from the door when he opened it and all he smelt was the calming scent of his mate.

The Crème Room with its honey brown walls, white comforter and matching curtains, and pale grey furniture was the room Rukia stayed in when she came to the cottage. He shut the door behind him, managed to pierce the room a few more inches, and the smell encased him warmly and made his knees buckle.

His breathed in deeply as he kneeled on the pallid carpet, one hand fisted against the floor and the other pressed against his mouth, and Ichigo muffled his cry of relief. Her scent so strong in this room and so potent and it gave him so much hope, so much evidence that she was alive.

She was in here.

She had slept in here.

Rukia had physically been here.

Disappeared into the water, from his sight and senses and here he was, in her room, four months later. Her scent was as fresh as the flourished roses in a garden, and knowing, finally knowing, she was alive and was in this very room not too long ago.

The hot tears spilled and they were strong and they were wonderful. He could not move from his spot on the floor for a decent amount of time, but he enjoyed every single tremble of bliss and plastered grin of exhilaration on his face.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_April 9th _

"It seems to me you have something on your mind," a deep voice said, pulling Rukia from her thoughts and onto the person in front of her. A man, perhaps late twenty, grinned at her. "Having trouble, dove?"

For once her hood was off her head. She already looked around the village and saw no wanted poster of hers and the village itself was extremely small. Deeming it safe, she discarded the hood and allowed the cool night breeze to sweep through her hair and brush the skin of her face. She doubted someone would recognize her and if he or she did they had to get the guards in the next town over, and Rukia was confident enough she could easily evade them.

She remembered every face in the bar she was in from where she sat at the lone creaky wooden table near the back entrance. There were four windows, two were locked and she could fit in one of the open windows if the back door suddenly became blocked. Even with a pint of beer in her system, Rukia observed and estimated who she could beat easily and who would give a bit of trouble, such as the man in front of her.

He had a humble expression with his hands resting on the table. He ordered two pints and Rukia didn't know if she should feel annoyed that he boldly sat across of her and ordered her a drink or relieved because she could tell this unknown man the questions she was having difficulties answering, and it would not mean a damn thing for the reason that he did not know her.

"Have a drink."

"It would be my second one within an hour."

He drank some, "You a light drinker?"

Rukia shook her hand and grabbed the pint, lifting it up to her lips and held her sour expression back, "My father."

He lifted an eyebrow at her and set his drink down, "Your father?"

"He is an alcoholic," Another sip and another sour expression, "Many do not know this and it is quite shameful for a man such as he to be. It supposedly runs in the family…I am hoping it does not pass over to me as well." She looked at over at him from the rim on her drink, "But you are not here about that. You are here pondering over what is brothering me. You see…I am deciding whether or not I should go home for the weekend," She decided to share, presenting her burden to him and curious as to what he would say.

"Is there family waiting for you?" He asked and drank from his pint happily, slurping as he did.

"A little sister."

"Then, you should go." The man with bright green eyes said, "Family is important."

"Yes, but something occurred and…now I do not feel I am strong enough to face them."

"You're afraid."

She played with the handle of her pint, "Yes."

"A coward."

"I am," she admitted with a long drink of the scorching alcohol burning the walls of her throat. "I was betrayed by a friend who I have known for so long, someone who helped me grow and who educated me to be a respectful and courageous woman. If she could betray me…then what is stopping the Others?"

"You're judging a group of people based on one person's action," He grabbed her hand tightly, it was warm but slightly sweaty, "Do not generalize and leave those who want to be helped and want to help you in the dark."

Rukia looked at the man and smiled "You say that, and you do make sense, but even now I am still hesitating. Then, there is you…you are here to betray me too." The man's eyes widened and Rukia kept her smile as she sent her pint crashing against his hand. The breaking of the wood splintering against his head made all the heads in the bar turn to her. While he staggered back and fell onto the floor men stood from their seats quickly.

Their chairs collided with the ground and Rukia flipped her table to avoid the arrows being pointed at her. She heard one of the drunks yell, and then heard the arrows struck the table while she sat on the floor and mourned the loss of her eye-watering beverage.

"Get rope!" One of them men yelled.

"Cover the back door!" A woman yelled and Rukia frowned.

"I am…too drunk for this," she told herself once the shooting stopped.

"Miss, please step out from the table with your hands on your head!" The same woman yelled.

"I'd rather not," Rukia answered back, glancing at the entrance of the bar and seeing three figures there. All of which appeared to be capable of fighting, "How about I stay right behind here and you all can leave the bar – that would be so wonderful – and while you do so, I can have one more pint of beer before I escape into the woods."

"How about we offer you a free beer, tie you up, and take you into town?"

Rukia stayed quiet, observing once more her surroundings and all she had on her right was a chair about a foot away and some pieces of her sodden pint. "Sounds delightful; but, I am afraid I _must_ decline your proposition for personal rationale and…I assume relationship reasons as well."

"You have a husband, missy?" A man called out, sounding to be older than first, "Such a shame to be wedded to a criminal such as yourself."

Rukia grasped a large piece of the splinter mug as a younger man – maybe in his teens – spoke, "At least she has a pretty face,"

She threw the portion of the wooden handle of her pint off to the side, it hit the wall violently and the crowd behind her followed the noise and even a couple of frighten members shot arrows. Taking this opportunity to grasp the table behind her, and yanked it into a tall vertical position, Rukia disregarded their cries of shock and threats, and took hold of the chair which lay on the ground.

With a heave she threw it out the window, the peasants now rushing towards her, and she quickly climbed out, thrusting her right foot against someone who seized her left. The person let go and she fell clumsily onto the floor. "I just wanted a damn drink," She growled as she got up, grabbed the same chair she had just thrown and quickly had it collide with the man guarding the back door.

Hood up, she ran to the inn she paid for the night and entered through the kitchen entrance calmly. The chefs only worked until three in the afternoon and came in at six in the morning to serve breakfast. The inn keeper stated herself that she didn't do dinner for her guests, and ordered Rukia to get her meal from somewhere else.

In other words, it was safe for her to amble her way through the small inn, into her room, grab her small pack of spare clothing, money, potions, toilette items, some other trinkets, and slices of bread and jam given to her earlier that day by one of the elderly chefs. There was thumping from the main door, and Rukia heard the inn keeper slam her door wide and cursed as she marched her way downstairs to open the door to what Rukia assumed was the mob.

Rustling of feathers and a tweet overcame the noise from outside. On the dresser provided with the room was a cage and within the cage was a small blue bird with tousled feathers on top of its head, glossy wings that reflected a white slowly inked into a spring green, and a white underbelly. His small black button eyes stared at her while he hopped around.

Rukia leaned down, resting her arms on the dresser and placing her chin on her overlapped arms, and she smiled at the bird, "You will be able to deliver my message, right?" It jumped in the cage and tweeted some more. "I will take that as a 'yes.'" Opening the cage door Rukia stepped back and propped her hand in the air, and the little bird tweeted and flew to her hand. He landed on her finger smoothly, and fluttered his wings.

The main door burst open and Rukia could hear the inn keeper and the leader of the mob arguing. Without much time left, Rukia tied around the bird's neck a glass vial with a cork on top, and inside the vial was a simple message. "Goodnight," She pushed the window open and the bird flew out and went into the sky, molding into the deep blue sky.

"Time for my own escape through the window, as always, but since I wasted a pint of good beer and money for this room because of them, I will be taking this pillow with me," she said quietly to the empty room and to the mob rushing up the stairs. Rukia grabbed the goose feathered pillow and it was soft to the touch, "Thank you."

She jumped down from the second floor bedroom she rented, and landed in a painful but hushed thump. She ran into the woods with her pack hammering against her thigh and her new pillow tucked under her arm.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"It's been so quiet since they left," Karin sat across her father's desk, picking at the food he made for lunch. "The only thing that reminds me that it's all real is Ichi-nii and Yuzu being gone from the dinner table and the news reporter who brings it up once a week." Karin ate her sliced smoked salmon and a bit of rice. "When are they coming back?"

"Once the doors are open," Isshin ate his own fish in one bite.

"When is that going to happen, daddy?"

"When the Others council see it fit," Isshin said calmly but deep within his mind he wanted to snarl it out, and not towards his daughter but towards Yamamoto who decided to close the portal. Closing the portal was the only way to guarantee no one would cross over to the real world, to save the humans and the Others which already reside here in whatever peace they have. Only a few protests to help the Others in the Realm were heard, but time after time they get shut down and silenced by every country who deemed it necessary to protect its own.

The Others council cut those who live in the Realm off, silenced their cries of help, stilled their desperation for freedom, and ignored their pleas to save their children. Every meeting Isshin argued with the council, but even the softest hearted members made their hearts into stone, and those who fought for justice were outnumbered. Still, Isshin did not quit and he had been kicked from the meeting more than once because of his heated determination to reopen the portal doors and send in Others soldiers.

"You'd think by now we would find some sort of magic or a relic to communicate with the Realm," Karin huffed, once again pushing her food around.

"You would think," Isshin put down his fork and glanced out to the outside skyline of Karakura. The sun high in the sky, bright and the day was nice with a cool breeze from the sea. "Strange, I lost my appetite."

"Daddy, you need to eat," Karin slammed her hand down on the desk, "You lost almost ten pounds since Yuzu and Ichi-nii left!" Isshin reached across and ruffle her hair, chuckling as he did so but Karin pulled away and stood. "It's not funny! I'm really worried!"

"Sorry! Sorry," He went around the desk and tugged his eldest daughter in for a hug, "I'll eat, I promise."

"And you'll sleep more?"

"I'll sleep more."

Karin lifted her chin and stiffened her lip, "I don't want you to get sick."

Sighing, Isshin rested his head on top of hers, "I won't get sick…after all, there's so many things that needs to be done." A jerk of his hand, Isshin moved Karin behind him as the door creaked open and then thrust open.

"Sorry for intruding on this family dinner," A tilt of a hat push back on top of corn blond hair revealed a grinning face.

"Shinji," Isshin loosened his grip on Karin's forearm, "You surprised me."

"You know, it's normal when it comes to dealing with alchemists. We lose our scents and Others such as yourself can't pinpoint us with that strong nose of yours." Shinji smiled at Karin, "Miss Karin."

"Shinji-san," Karin turned to her father, "I guess I'll leave now."

"We still haven't finished lunch," Isshin grinned and gestured to the chair.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! What's more important than having lunch with my daughter?" Isshin's grin faltered when he faced Shinji, "I'm assuming there's something you wish to talk about."

"Yes, there is and luckily for you while it's an important detail… I don't mind saying it in front of Miss Karin."

"Hurry and spit it out, Shinji-san." Karin went back to eating, raising an eyebrow in expectation.

Not finding her comment amusing, Shinji frowned and fixed his bowtie, "I just came to request a claw from you, _Alpha-san_."

"A claw?"

"Yes, a claw from a true _alpha_, and seeing you're the only _alpha_ I am on good terms with…I'm requesting it." 

"That's a large request…what is it for?" Isshin strolled back to his sit, "What are you planning?"

"Why are you assuming I'm planning something?" Isshin growled loudly and Shinji held his hands up in defense, "It's the last ingredient I need to create a potion, and when spilled on ley line; let's say it'll open a portal to the…_Others _side."

~o~o~o~o~o~

_June 19th _

The nudge against her foot caused Rukia to shoot up, the knife she hid under her pillow was gone; but, instinct made her grab the person who woke her up by his neck and reach for the nearest item which was her pillow.

"Aren't you hyper-sensitive?" The voice said and the blur of panic and instinct flooded away, "So active even after last night, I assume you're strong enough to take your things and leave now."

The image of an old man sharpened and Rukia evaluated the man for a moment before she let him go. Stepping back to the other side of the bed she slept on Rukia saw the man sigh and grumble. Weary of the man, she carefully took in her surroundings of a small room with two small beds, a bed table separating the two, a window that let in dusk fleeting sunlight, a full length mirror, rustic wooden floors, and her possessions stuffed in the corner.

She didn't know how she ended up here and she couldn't remember last night, but she wasn't surprised. It wasn't the first time she awoke disorientated after a night of dancing with the pink elephants and kissing the opal bubbles of mirages. This, however, was the first time she had woken up under a ceiling, in an unknown bed, and by an old man.

Rukia was relieved that her cape still draped her body, and she glanced at the old man who was impatiently waiting for her. Tugging her pack over her shoulder, she gestured for him to lead her out which he did only after exhaling an annoyed sigh. She decided not to ask what happened to her, it was too embarrassing, but when she passed the mirror and saw the small black crosses of stitches on her right cheek she stopped.

"Bar fight," the old man said when he noticed she was looking at herself, at the stitches which were four centimeters long. "Who would have guessed a lady of your size can take down three grown, and large, men. If it wasn't for your drunken stupor you would have avoided getting punched in the face."

She gingerly touched the stitches, the swelling was surprisingly low, but her cheek was a shade of purples and dark green. "Who fixed me up?"

"Who do ya think?" He said.

"I am assuming you did, doctor."

The old man smiled, his skin crinkling at the corners of his mouth and his eyes. He seemed almost bittersweet at the title of his profession, his eyes tender as he continued to walk out and gestured to her to follow him. "It's been a long time since I considered myself a doctor, miss."

Those eyes, she felt she remembered them; but she didn't vocalize her thought, "How did I get under your care?"

"I was in the same tavern as you last night," he said and she knew why he was there. It was the same reason why she was there, and silence fell between them. Next thing she knew she was at the outskirts of the town. Trading coins for bread and some chunks of cheese, and when she thought about buying more she turned and left.

She left the bleak incident of the bar, the medical care of the old man, the market of the shining people, and she left the town. She'll find another settlement and when she did she'll do what she always did: look for a place to sleep.

Trudging through the forest instead of the clear path civilization made. Her pack held everything she needed to survive with the exception of the hidden bottle of bitter liquid near the bottom. Even surround by cloth, Rukia could hear the taunt of the liquid swirling in the bottle. She felt the weight of it dragging her down. It was heavier than a bottle of lead and drowned her as she walked.

During those moments she would look up at the sky. Hoping this motion would propel her to the surface, to the warm sun and soft sand on the other side, and ultimately take her back home. Where she'll drag herself out of the ocean and on shore she'll see everyone with smiles on their faces, their family growing, waving at her, and asking her to join. She would prefer to endeavor the freezing ocean water just to breathe one more time with them.

Tonight, the stars were covered by clouds and the forest was surprisingly silent for once. The shuffling of her feet were the only physical noise she could hear, but the heavy weight in her pack began to rattle, the liquid swished side to side like roaring tides in a storm.

She didn't even notice the tears sliding down her cheeks.

Then, the noise got too loud and her movements halted, and like the glacier she thought herself to be she melted to the forest ground and cried. It's only been two months of running and yet she cannot handle it anymore. Passing through the days consistently impassive, but when she did feel something it was pain. Even now, besides her face hurting, everything just seemed dreary, her feelings infuriating, and she cannot even stand her own thoughts anymore.

Day after day her world get grayer and darker, and when the shadows pulled her out from the bit of sunlight she tried to rest in she would reach for a damn bottle instead of crawling back into the light.

Shame coerced her into sobbing further as her body trembled and the floor was the only comfort she received. Lamely, she wished for the ground to pat her back and offer a handkerchief to wipe her tears away. She wished the painful warmth from her tears would grow into an embrace instead.

Face red from her choked weeps and torso bent down, Rukia did not know how long she stayed on the ground with her tears creating a poor puddle of mud. However, she felt a stir within her, different from the pain, and it persuaded to stop her sobs. Gasping slightly and her eyes still releasing the last of her tears, she glanced up and there it was. The clouds vanishing and the stars appeared, and that stir she felt came from the air.

Light came from the night sky and magic peppered down from the stars; gold and brilliant.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Do you feel that?" Ishida dropped his hold on the rope as the wind stirred violently, "Something's happening."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Renji dropped his end of the rope and inhaled the wind's aroma.

"It's not in the air! You can't smell it," Ishida glanced at the night sky, "It's magic." Light floated down, it gleamed and sparkled, reflecting the radiance from the moon. It was gold, he noticed, shimmering and the scent of smoke appeared when it was feet above the ground.

"I've never seen this before." Renji said, "Magic always came from a user." The time spent with Rukia as a child never introduced him to this kind of magic. He remembered Byakuya's wisp of pink smoke and Rukia's chilling snowflakes. He knew that kind of magic.

The gold sequins landed on Ishida's glasses and then it touched the ground. Wiping the shimmer off his glasses he suddenly dropped them. They quivered free from his hands and he was baffled. Ishida looked down at his glasses and the metal rim frames trembled on the forest floor.

Then, as fast as the sun's first ray of light hit the land at dawn, the quivers became vigorous tremors. "Shit!" Renji cursed as he fell to his knees, "We need to get out of the forest!" Renji yelled as he attempted to stay balanced as he ran, and Ishida, quickly scooping his glasses and putting them on, followed when they heard trees crack and the shudder of some falling.

"I thought the Realm didn't get earthquakes!"

"It doesn't!" Ishida roared back. Their feet pounded against the floor as they ducked down fallen branches and leaped over broken tree trunks.

"Then what's this!?" Birds flew from the trees, squirrels scurried down from the trees, and Ishida saw from the corner of his eyes some deer hurdling themselves to safety.

"I don't know! Didn't you say it was magic!?"

Towards the direction they were running and moments before the Realm shook, Yuzu sat near the bank of the lake. She was finishing writing on a small piece of paper, but she was also waiting for her brother to return from the woods. Next to her was a hopping little blue bird, the same bird Rukia used to contact her two months ago. The little blue bird arrived the night her brother was going to go search for Rukia only after a day of rest, chirping on the porch and fluttering its wing.

She remembered being too busy arguing with her brother and Renji to notice the bird first, but Ishida with his cool head realized the energized bird hopping around and when he tried to catch it, the bird flew to Yuzu and landed on her head.

Confused, they all looked at the chirping bird and Yuzu tensed and looked at her brother, unsure as to what she should do. Animals tend not to favor her since she was werewolf thus she had no experience dealing with them, but Kon squeezed his way through all of their feet and bit Ichigo's ankle.

Ichigo howled a curse when the tiny fangs and claws dug into his skin and he glared at Kon, "What was that for!?"

"_For locking me in the closet_," Kon said bitterly, "_I'm going to tell Nee-san what you did to me._" He then tried to point at the bird with his tiny paws, "_The bird said his name is Pipi and he has a message for Yuzu from Nee-san!_" Kon plopped himself down, "_Nee-san was always good with animals_."

Of course, Ichigo, Renji, and Ishida all swarmed to Kon, thinking the bird told him the message. It wasn't until Yuzu hit Renji for grabbing the lion cub and Ichigo for growling at him that Kon cried to them that message was around the bird's neck.

That was how they found out Rukia wasn't coming back soon but that she was alright. Since then, Ichigo and the rest decided not to seek Rukia and instead wait for her to come back. Yuzu has been using Pipi to communicate with Rukia, and Rukia would always send a message back. Yuzu never once mentioned to Rukia that Ichigo was living with her, and Rukia never mentioned running into Yoruichi or that Renji was in the realm either.

A wall was built and it was tall and vast, cold and not meant to be climbed. Yuzu felt hurt, betrayed, and angry and she doesn't know towards whom. Rukia who built the wall? Herself for fibbing ignorance? Yoruichi for breaking the little faith Rukia had in people? Or the Espadas who hunted Rukia and forced her to run?

Yuzu could only wonder how Rukia felt.

Pipi hopped onto her hand, nudging it to indicate that he was ready for the message and to fly back to Rukia. "Wait," She said, "Ichi-nee is going to be back soon." Ichigo was insistent on being with her when she sent a message to Rukia, and she still didn't know why. He never writes anything or read what she wrote, but he was adamant on seeing Pipi off.

Pipi hopped on her head and chirped loudly in what she assumed to be irritation, and Yuzu glanced up to see if she can catch a glimpse at the little blue bird. Instead, she saw the stars twinkle in such a lovely manner, they shimmered and from the slight tremble the light from them made, gold dust fell.

"Wow," she breathed, standing up in astonishment. "I've never seen this kind of magic before." She wondered if it was fairy dust, and if this ever happened back home in Karakura. Pipi, however, was not enjoying the gold falling from the sky and fluttered on her head and on her shoulders. To calm him down, Yuzu placed the note in his necklace, but kept her hands closed around him. "We have to wait for Ichi-nii." She said again, and went back to the dust.

It was closer to her now, she could almost touch it if she was able to reach up and it reminded her of snow. When the first speck of gold touched the ground, she didn't notice the slight quiver. In fact, it was a yell from Ichigo which shocked her as he ran from out of the woods.

"Get away from the tree!" He roared, and she felt the power from the roar was what caused the ground to suddenly quake violently. Caught off balance, she fell to the floor, her hands releasing Pipi to brace herself. Pipi flew quickly away. Conflicted, she wondered if she should be upset that he left or scared as Ichigo hauled her up from the ground and away from the severely swaying tree.

It was difficult for him to move as the ground under him simply did not want to stay still; however, he got himself and his little sister to the middle of the clearing. Away from the tree, the stone bench, and the small cottage, "Are you alright!?"

"What's going on, Ichi-nii!" She cried out.

Ishida and Renji then burst from the woods as well, the opposite direction of where Ichigo came from and they rushed towards them. Skidding onto their knees, they landed close to the Kurosaki siblings as they waited, and waited for the shaking to end.

"Kon!" Yuzu yelled from her brother's arm, "He's inside!"

"With Don Kanonji," Ichigo said, "The cub will be fine with the old geezer."

"We need to stay here, Yuzu." Ishida said, "It's dangerous if we try to move."

Renji shook his head, releasing some of the gold dust from his head before he looked up. "I…I think it's stopping."

The shaking did not, but the gold dust was slowly halting from their floating to the ground. It felt as if it lasted for so long, but when the last speck touched the ground, nestled into the flourished green grass and sunk into the dirt, the shaking stopped.

Still, they tensely held still. Their bodies still feeling the aftermath of the shaking but when they felt a strong breeze and a cough, they looked up to see a smiling Don Kanonji. "Nice to see you are all…alright!" He said in a pause and posed.

"Gods, please no." Ishida whispered as he stood and helped Yuzu stand as well.

From behind Don Kanonji there was a scurry fur ball and Ichigo called out to it, "Okay there, Kon?"

Kon peeked from behind the leg of Don Kanonji and nodded prior to scampering to Yuzu's open arms.

"Hey," Renji glared at the man, lips tighten, "you know what that was, right?"

Don Kanonji gasped, hands suddenly pressed against his chest in drama and false hurt, "How can you ask such a thing!?"

"I'm regretting this," The red werewolf said.

"Of all things!" Don Kanonji continued and ignored Renji, "Of course I know why that happened!" He held his breath, wanting all their Others' eyes on him as he reached out to the sky and inhaled deeply, "It's a sign that upon this day, the summer solstice, which promises the future's destiny! That this is the year of the renewal!"

"Renewal?" Yuzu awed.

"Yes…the renewal," Don Kanonji fell to his knees and whispered, hands flexed and pointed. "There is no escaping her destiny, now."

"So, we got about six months," Ichigo spoke up.

The weird man with his awkward facial hair gave a ghost of a smile, "What are you going to do, Kurosaki?"

"Personally find my mate," He growled, still having the lingering scent of Pipi who smelled of mint because of his necklace. "I'm tired of waiting."

* * *

**_Thank you for reading and a big thank you to my beta-er. He's oh so kind. _**


	45. Chapter 44

**Sorry for the late update. I could not come into contact with my beta for the last couple of months, and I am concern over his well-bring. So if you're reading Insanity-plus just send me an e-mail that you're alright. I'm not angry or upset or anything. I just would like to know that you are okay. **

**Because of this incident, this chapter is not edited or fully reviewed by my beta-er. **

**If anyone is interested in being my new beta until the end of the fic (which is 4 more chapters) or until Insanity-plus comes back with continue interest please pm. I want to provide better quality chapters to you guys. **

**Sorry for all this babbler. Please enjoy and, hopefully, see you next month.**

* * *

_**Chapter 44**_

_**This is War**_

_June 20__th_

_On top of one of the many jagged stone towers in the capital city of Ao, Shinji watched the world underneath his feet, under his steady gaze. The city was burnt from the typhoon of civil war. The stone built city ruled by the same monarch for over four hundred years was crumbling under its peoples' voices for the past five months, and feuding swords. However, now its destruction was being caused by a large hollow. _

_The peoples' spears splinted into twigs when they tried to stab the monster, and their sharpest edged swords were only butter knives to the hollow's coarse skin. The great cathedral which pointed roof pierced the sky was vanquished with a single sweep of the hollow's arm. The cubic castle where the queen and her consort king ruled was on fire from the inside and slowly spread out. _

_The royal family – all determined to stay and fight for their people – were drugged and taken out of the castle by royal guards before the hollow manifested itself inside the city walls. The homes of the people were grinded into dust and the cries were deafening. On the surface of the Realm, the ground trembled for another reason than yesterday's earthquake. It trembled from the peoples' terror, their feet pounding against the ground and away from the ungodliness of the hollow's movement. _

_Shinji watched all of this impassively as he searched for one cunning person in the sea of brown leather and multi-color fabric of the citizens. As he searched there was a low-pitched whistle, and it became louder and louder until a thump sunk into the stone next to him. He jumped slightly and looked at the area next to his head. Coughing into his hand in embarrassment at being catch off guard he observed the object which scared him. _

_It was an arrow, and the condense ice on it made the air around it visible and spread onto the stone. Shinji followed the direction of the arrow to the ground, and there stood the person who he was looking for, and who found him instead. Hood pushed back and dusky blue eyes glared at him before she turned back to the hysterical crowd, pointing and directing them to safety. It does not matter if she was being hunted by these very same citizens moments before, Kuchiki Rukia would rather save these people before she would run away and save herself. _

_The hollow noticed a group on his left and another arrow pierced the wall next to Shinji after Rukia shot an iced arrow into the hollow's eye. "Your message is loud and clear, Miss Kuchiki." Shinji grinned and jumped off from the clock tower, and landed on the roof next to the hollow. "How troublesome…we really should just let the city burn."_

~o~o~o~o~o~

June 20th

There was a clouded chirping right next to her head and the light pressure of hops being made by the unasked for alarm clock made her groan. Rukia brushed the noise away but the alarm clock was not pleased with this action. Instead, the angry tweet wedged itself under the hood she pulled down over her head and pecked her nose.

Blinking, Rukia gave a half-hearted stare at Pipi, "Is this for last night?" He tweeted and flapped his wings, "I already said I was sorry for sending you back right away. I just needed to know if Yuzu was alright."

Still not pleased, the blue bird pecked her cheek, squirmed out of her hood and flew away. Landing on the table he ate at the seeds Rukia left there the prior night as an apology to Pipi. Rolling on her stomach, Rukia tugged her currently red cape along with her and pushed the curtains to the side. When she travelled she preferred to blend in, but she discovered in the large cities it was better to stand out and be overlook by the guards who were more concern with those who tried blend in.

The morning was bright and it seemed only a few were paranoid from the earthquake. However, that does not mean the last few months of words and weapons exchange hasn't unfasten the timely string on the city of Ao. Rukia propped her chin on the wooden bed post and watched the people of the city bustle through the weaving streets. There wasn't a single adult who did not carry a weapon on their person. The city was immersed in discussion of war and battle and most did not hesitate to arm themselves for protection against enemies or their fellow neighbors.

Rukia frowned but kept watching the people; followed them with her inquiring eyes until she noticed the bakery at the corner of a street. Built from stone and had a sign painted in blue in neat hand writing. The warm buttery smell of fresh bread carried in the air and into her room. Tempted, she glanced over to her pack at the corner of her rented bed. The leather pouch only had a few coins inside in a cloth bag. It was enough to buy a loaf of bread but not enough to feel comfortable if she needed to bribe someone later on.

"Next time, then," she told Pipi who ignored her and still munched on the sunflower seeds. "At least I can pretend," she whispered as she imagined tasting the soft bread and tearing at it with her fingers tenderly – perhaps smeared some locally made jam on top after brewing a cup of steaming tea.

Sighing at what currently cannot be, Rukia glanced to her door and stiffened her lips. Escaping the snarl of her sheets, she quickly grabbed her trouser, blouse, and shirt. Untied her cape for a moment to pull her blouse and vest over her head – covering her naked breast – and tugged her trouser over her legs and thin undergarment. Cape was tied once more over her neck before she got her pack and threw it to the corner of the room where it would be hidden when the door opened. The heavy block of wood which was that used as a door stopper resided next to her rented bed, and she picked it up and stepped behind the door as well, right on top of her pack. "I hope I do not flatten the bread," she mused.

"Pipi," She called and the bird flew onto her shoulder, and she hummed before she lunched the door stopper through the window above her bed. It crashed through the window violently and she heard the stirring of people from the streets below.

Pressing herself into the corner she waited only a few seconds when the door was forced opened and slammed against the wall, cornering her in. She was trapped between the door and the wall as the door was held by an unknown hand. The paint crackled under the force of the hand and the door knob dug deeply into the wall. Pipi tweeted but Rukia tilted her head towards the small bird, hoping it would calm him down.

"Where is she!?" A voice boomed, high-pitched and angry.

"She…she checked in her last night, sir! I don't know where she is at!" The old man that rented her the room said, "She did not leave! But, ah look! S-she broke the window...maybe she escaped?"

"We're on the fourth floor," The high-pitched voice said, "It's likely she went to the roof. Check the roof! Go! Check every nook and cranny! Behind every door and under beds! I want her found and in my possession before noon strikes!" Footsteps filtered through the building, all echoing as it marched up the three flights of stairs. The man who spoke stepped in her room, the door still encasing her to the wall but he quickly left and followed the rest of his group.

The inn keeper let out a shudder cry and ambled his way down the hall, towards the entrance she suspected. It was suddenly silent and she froze there for a moment with her heart beating erratically. "That was quite unnecessary, do you not agree, Pipi?" The bird tweeted and whether it was in agreement or not, Rukia considered herself it was in agreement and pushed the door slightly. The paint chipped crinkled loose and drifted down to the ground. "What an idiot," Rukia tiptoed out from behind the door as she stared at her forgotten boots she left at the corner of her desk, and in clear visional sight too. Nudging them with her foot, she glanced at the door where the man was, "Truly a dim-witted bigot."

Pipi was back on the desk, eating his seeds as Rukia slipped on her boots and fasten her cape with a tighter knot. Stopping at the poor reflection of herself, she studied herself heavily and would have continued longer if it wasn't for the racket from the roof. Pulling her hood down, she grabbed her things and whistled to Pipi, "We are leaving." The bird flew on top of her head, resting on the red cloth and Rukia sighed at his weight. For some odd reason she became Pipi's horse and she couldn't remember when she allowed this to occur.

The poorly painted room she stayed in with its old wooden furniture but lovely view did not mourn when Rukia left without closing the door behind her. If the room was able to speak it would call friends and family in celebration for the departure of Rukia and the luggage of problems she carried with her.

Rukia was heading down the hall and stairs, but she took a last glance at the room, and she was as well, glad to leave that room. When she reached the lobby she paid no heed to the frantic inn keeper and walked out the door – leaving the key to the room on the counter composedly.

A crowd gathered outside the inn, staring up at the broken window of her room, and the group of bounty hunters on the roof talked to each other as they kept shifting their gaze to the room she rented. Truly, the city of Ao was as edgy as the day before.

The crowd whispered amongst themselves, shoving and tugging at each other, and glancing at each face swiftly without getting caught. The rumor of her arrival had put everyone on their toes and how they found it was beyond her.

She arrived in the middle of the night with no witnesses besides the inn keeper who was a jolly man and didn't recognize her at all. Well, there was always the possibility that he went into town and saw her wanted poster. It wasn't the first time that had happened to her. Neither was being ambushed as she slept. Rukia walked away from the inn, already wondering where her next destination should be.

As she walked, she purposely bumped into the wealth merchants and posh individuals, sneaking a few coins from their purses and pockets. A small amount so they would not notice but enough they she could collect an adequate sum for a night in another inn and for a meal or two. Cream of broccoli sounded delightful when Rukia passed by a shop keeper who shouted that his broccoli was on sale.

While she may be starving and hoped to leave the city before she indulged in the flatten bread in her pack and some cheese, Pipi wasn't going to wait. The bird bounced on her head happily, flew off to get a piece of bread and came back to eat the bread crumbs on her head.

"Do not get crumbs on me," she said and Pipi jabbed his beak in her head in retaliation. It was a normal day for an individual on the run such as herself – with the exclusion of her body becoming weaker and weaker. Once again her lungs began to ache and she had to pull her handkerchief from her pocket and cough into it. She frowned at the tiny spots of blood that has been increasing over the last week before she tucked her handkerchief away and continued on to the edge of the city where the slums were located at.

The city had paved roads and outdoor markets with stalls that used fabrics for roofs, and the building were made of stones, tall and curved, and all in a grid-like setting. People carried baskets filled with fruits, meats, spices, and so on. Children ran down the streets with toys in their hands. Soldiers carried swords and walked with heavy footsteps as men bargained with sellers, and a few women held parasols that shield them from the sun. There were a few horses trotting down the streets and some even pulled carriages.

It was a lovely city with lovely weather and lovely architect. Somewhat dirty but it was expected in an urban Realm city of this time. Rukia looked up to the sky, Pipi angrily tweeting as he slipped off and had to flap his wings to prevent himself from hitting the floor. There wasn't cloud in sight, and she hoped it wouldn't rain later on in the night like it did last week.

Then, she caught sight of a black crackled line forming horizontally in the blue tapestry. She looked away, inhaling softly as she talked herself into believing it was a trick of the eye, but she glanced back up and it was growing. It grew thicker and expanding. Her prone form caught the attention of many and they all turned to gaze at what she was staring at, all murmuring in confusion at what that was.

Rukia finally turned towards the people of Ao, pursing her lips as she saw them all in their normal drapes and baskets, all expecting a normal day; but now their attention was not on the food they carried, the work needed to be done, of their companions.

Suddenly, overwhelmed by the amount of faces she shook her head and stumbled back before gathering the courage to open her mouth and shout at them, "Run!"

~o~o~o~o~o~

Trekking the forest with large sweeping steps, Ichigo gripped the compass in his hands as he headed towards the Holy City of Ao. Him, Renji, and Ishida all decided to cover different cities to search for the missing nymph for a week before meeting back up again at Don Kanonji's home. Yuzu agreed to stay back and wait for Rukia as if everything was normal, and she waited for Pipi to come back with another message as well.

He tugged at his leather trousers annoyingly as he was not used to the taut clothing of the Realm. The same could not be said for his loose shirt made by the softest wool he ever touched, and he still could smell the grass of the fields. Nevertheless, that wonderful sensation was ruined by the leather vest he wore over his shirt but under his jacket with his heavy boots – at least the boots were soft and worn.

Looking off to the side, there was the woods and hidden within the tangled of nature's branches, green, twigs, and leaves were the woodland creatures. His acute hearing picked up their movements and his nosed labeled their scent. Besides mice, squirrels, and birds he caught the scent of a doe and her fawn, and his hearing detected the small steps of gnomes.

When he focused more, almost a mile north, was the indication of humans and Others. He was close to the City of Ao and besides his werewolf senses flashing him these new details, he easily saw the top of one of the palace pointed towers. The main road was ahead and as he walked towards his destination he looked behind him, confused as he heard the scurrying of animals and small Others alike.

All the woodland creatures ran away from the direction of the city.

A thunder boom surprised him, followed by a sound of ripping metal and he knew these sounds so well. Over the City of Ao, he saw the forming of a black, jagged line. It was a recognizable line that was made over his city and many cities in the real world by hollows. But, never before had he seen one that large, that black and grotesque.

Seconds later came the screaming and a black mass in a shape of a hand burst out from the sky. "Shit," Ichigo made a run towards the city, challenging the direction of the animals which sprinted passed him. He was close to the city, jumping and running over the forest's floor, just a half of a mile away when he heard a snap of a twig to his right. He stopped and came face to face with the Espada, Grimmjow.

The electric blue were-jaguar grinned at him manically with his hands stuffed in his white pants pockets, facing Ichigo completely. "How's it going, mutt?"

"The hell you're doing here?!" Ichigo snapped back.

Grimmjow's expression fell slightly in a manner which resembled an elementary school teacher's disappointed expression after his favorite student answered incorrectly. Lazily, almost upset, his gestured towards the City of Ao where a large hollow now appeared, standing as tall as the palace's wall. It looked gruesome and probably was, and what caught his attention were the frozen pricks of arrows sticking out of the hollow's skin. The large hollow seemed most upset about the arrows when another was shot and landed on the grime skin of his left cheek. "We both came for the same reason," Grimmjow spoke up, "Little Miss Kuchiki is finally on our radar again."

In a swift step, Grimmjow blocked Ichigo's path and shook his head. "Leaving? Already? I was looking forward to our reunion."

"Move," Ichigo's voice dropped low and deep; losing its human's tone quickly.

"Why's that?" The hands in his pocket were now by his side, nails gleamed in the light of the sun. "Your mate has been out here by herself for months now: sleeping, killing, eating, and surviving on her own. Like hell she needs your help, your protection, right now. She's been on her own without you for so long, I wonder if she even needs you…or fucking remembers you."

"As if I give a damn about that," Ichigo snarled, "As long as she's safe and within my reach I don't give a flying fuck if she remembers me." It was true. The words he spoke were true. The werewolf already lost Rukia once when she erased her memories, and he thought that was the greatest pain inflicted on him – knowing that when she looked at him she saw nothing and knew nothing of him. While she meant the world to him, he was just a blank poster board of a man who was fond of spewing nonsense about destiny, fate, and mates. Night after night, he wondered what he was going to do without her. Then, he suddenly knew that it did not matter if she remembered him or not because when she got in danger all he truly wanted was her happiness.

Thundering rain clouds hunted over his head as Ichigo marched forward, glaring at the Espada and continued his snarling but now in a much more low and menacing tone, "Now are you going to move, you over-confident son-of-a-bitch?"

"I will…after the capture of your mate," Amused, Grimmjow watched the _Beta_ wolf ruptured into his werewolf form. Free from the leather clothing and his human form, Ichigo growled maliciously at the were-jaguar. "Finally," Grimmjow stepped forward as his own body lost its human feature, "A fucking rematch."

If anything, as Ichigo stood in front of the were-jaguar, tensed and ready to fight, all he thought about was Grimmjow's words. Rukia who fended for herself, trying to keep those she loved safe, and she was alone. His fiery instinct to protect blazed to life. He wanted to immediately win this match and get to the city, get to Rukia.

Grimmjow growled something which was beyond Ichigo's comprehension, and quickly attacked. Launching towards Ichigo, claws bared and posed, Grimmjow only thought of the battle and the blood. Finally fighting the man who left a battle wound on his body and, for once, a fucking challenged.

This was a battle of fire beating beasts.

Roaring wildly, Grimmjow enjoyed the feelings of his claws sinking into Ichigo's forearm and Ichigo grabbing his leg and flung the were-jaguar. Grimmjow hit the tree but got up and shook the impact off with a grin. Ichigo paid no heed to the wound on his arm and watched the Grimmjow wearily. They circled each other, both attempting to find an opening to gain the upper hand.

Grimmjow strike again, claws aiming for Ichigo's soft underbelly but Ichigo blocked the strike with his paw. Arm pulled back, and Ichigo slammed his fist onto Grimmjow's face and stomach. Teeth bared and bit into the junction of Grimmjow's shoulder. Angrily, Grimmjow swept at the werewolf's face, passing over Ichigo's right eyes and even cutting a thin layer of the werewolf's right eyes.

Roaring, they both pulled away from each other and were surprised from their sudden injuries, but Grimmjow was furious when he realized that Ichigo has gotten stronger and faster. Not even able to process the suddenly new details of his opponent, Grimmjow was back in defense when Ichigo attacked. Ichigo grabbed a hold on his Grimmjow's neck and slammed the were-jaguar to the ground. Swiftly, Grimmjow escaped Ichigo's clutched and went to the large area of his back, biting Ichigo's shoulder as well, for only a few seconds, before Ichigo heaved him away.

Ichigo bled more – black oozed from his wounds – and Grimmjow's limbs trembled from all the impacts his body made with the damn ground and trees – his wounds hissed from Ichigo's holy infused claws. The energy coming off Ichigo was strong, almost suffocating, and as Grimmjow felt the pulsing pain of his injuries, Ichigo seemed unaware of his own.

Ichigo stood tall, the fur covering his body black as the cold vacuum of space, and his heated amber irises were waiting, taunting Grimmjow as the were-jaguar was now inferior to the _Beta_. However different their levels now were, how different Ichigo's strength was now, only slightly higher than his, Grimmjow was too excited. His blood pumped in such a speed that it would put to shame the winds that belonged to hurricanes and tornados.

The battle ensued with the additional tearing of flesh and blood running down the claws and jaws of the were-creatures. Grimmjow enjoyed the taste of the blood while and Ichigo tried to clean his face from the thick burgundy fluid. Neither noticed the trembling of their limbs or the panting of their breaths.

Only the raging determination in each other eyes.

Ichigo evaluated the were-jaguar and thought of needing a moment where Grimmjow's defenses were down. If that happened, he would be able to finish tearing the ligament of his left leg and even nick an opening on the main artery under the surface of his neck.

It was almost Gods sent blessing when the hollow who was wreaking the City of Ao cried out, shaking the ground with the loud vibration made from his throat when it froze over completely. Its skin covered in ice and cracks slowly begin to surface. Instead of keeping his focus on Ichigo, Grimmjow cursed at the hollow and missed Ichigo's sudden movement by a few second.

Those seconds cost him dearly as he was pinned to the ground by the massive hand around his throat. Then, his left hinge leg screamed in sudden pain and throbbed hotly as he withered under Ichigo's hold.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Rukia watched from the grounds below as Shinji made the final attack. The large hollow, frozen in place by her iced arrow pierced into its neck, crumbled when Shinji's sword sunk into the hollow's forehead, breaking its mask and splintered its body in sections of ice. The blond man grinned as he pushed himself away from the crumbling hollow and landed lightly on a flat roof.

The destruction made to the city was monumental in the small amount of time the hollow emerged. Most of the smaller builders were in ruined, the more impressive buildings that were tall and hefty had years worth of repairs to look forward to, but in Shinji's eyes he thought it went pretty well. Only a few casualties died from the hollow's destructive path, and cosmetic repairs were not a huge issue in his opinion.

Grinning, he sheathed his sword and fixed his beret on his head as he observed the hollow dispersed into balls of light, but he wasn't able to see the last of it when yells came from below. Shifting his gaze to the yells, he saw the red figure of Kuchiki Rukia being confronted by a mob of scared and angry citizens.

Weapons were pointed at her and he scowled at the sight. Humans such as those were so disgusting and greedy. Instead of praising and thanking Rukia for assisting in defeating the hollow which would have killed them all, they all decided it would be better to imprison her or even kill her as some shouts suggested. The fear they let in their hearts made them cowards, made them selfish, and made them worst than the hollow he and Rukia killed.

Then again, the hollow appeared because of Rukia so it could, technically, be her fault.

Nevertheless, as much as he detested those kinds of human, he did not know what he hated more: the violent humans or the passive Rukia who stood there and took their threats and acts of brutality. Why were they ungrateful over her killing the hollow? Why don't these humans understand that they should be against the men that set up those wanted posters? Most importantly, why doesn't she defend herself against those false remarks?

"How amusing," Shinji commented as he hopped off the roof onto the ground and marched towards Rukia. Pushing people out of the way with such ease since their legs still quivered in fear. The closer he got to her, the faster he moved and when he reached the last row of humans he sprinted to her and latched his hand on her arm, pulling her away from the crowd's path.

"Keep running," he said happily and she did, running a few steps behind him as Pipi flew at the same speed as her. The mob did not chase them which Shinji was grateful for. Luckily, their courage only relied on their fear and neither on love nor justice.

It wasn't long until they were at the outskirts of the city, Shinji panted lightly as he watched Rukia wheezed from the run. "How did you get here?" Rukia asked between the heaves of breath, "And why are you here?"

"Not wasting any time are you?" She didn't answer so Shinji shrugged his shoulder, "I think it's obvious. We're here for you." She answered with one hand pointing an arrow at him propped in her bow while the other pulled the string back and held it against her cheek. "Why so hostile? You can trust me." The glared she made answered him and Shinji lifted his hands in the air, slightly above his head as he continued to grin at her.

"I'm here because I want to help. I am invested in your life since I want to live, Miss Kuchiki. If you fail, and if things do not end will…well, like I said, I want to live. You succeed and villain is defeated and I'll live on happily with my lovely lady. I'm here because of me and there is no other reason besides that." He tried to lower his hands but Rukia braced on leg back and got into the correction position which made Shinji sigh, "I helped you once. What happened that made you so distrustful, Miss Kuchiki?"

"How did you get here?" She overlooked his question.

"I got here because I know a way to reopen the portal to the Realm and the real world."

"Can you open a portal from here to there?"

"Why are asking?"

"I believe that is an obvious answer."

"You want to go back to the real world? See a certain werewolf?" Shinji teased, but instead he saw something else flickered over her eyes. "Or…is there something or someone you want to send through the portal?"

"Only if you can open a successful portal."

"Then, many apologizes, Miss Kuchiki because I cannot. The magic here is different so that makes the elements here slight different as well and unknown to me. I can open a portal but I will not promise it will as successful as you would like; however, I shared the secret to open a portal with a certain pack of werewolves, you know." Rukia's expression finally broke into a frown and Shinji laughed, "Why such a face? You should be happy. They're coming to protect you."

"Which is neither desired nor necessary," she answered curtly.

"I answered your questions…why not put the bow down."

"Simply because I do not trust you," Rukia thoughts flashed briefly to Yoruichi, "Turn around and walk away."

"I am not able to do that." Shinji lowered his arms and relaxed his stance, and it was quite unexpected when the arrow Rukia held launched and hit the tree next to him, covering the tree in a thick layer of frost. Shinji was about to shout at her but saw that she had another arrow ready and he lifted his hands back up in the air in annoyance. "The Hōgyoku," He began and the tension between them swiftly thickened, "which resides inside of you needs protection."

"I completely agree and the same can be said for your Lineage Jewels you unwittingly carry about." Shinji froze and his grin thinned in hesitation, "Not hidden well and I have became quite a talented thief here in the Realm, and bargainer in the Black Market too."

"I understand your warning, Miss Kuchiki." In the depth of their conversation, Shinji failed in capturing Rukia's attention fully. He saw it in the moment the twinkle of affirmation surfaced in her eyes and the loosening of the muscles in her lips.

"Do you?" Her voice was low but strummed strong, "I hope you are aware that your action of delaying me here with this feeble chatter has gotten us into danger."

"Danger?"

"Imminent."

Rukia released the arrow pointed to Shinji's chest and she did not wait a second after the release to turn and run, escaping the werewolves who were attempting to surround her and the approaching Espada. The werewolves, the total of three, from _Llave Negro del Destino_ swiftly went into pursuit. Shinji dodged the arrow and saw it puncture into the shoulder of a frowning Arrancar who was covering her mouth with her long sleeve, and has three pink tattoo dots under her left eye. The female Arrancar frowned before she met Shinji's gaze, and Shinji decided to escape for now.

His hands reached into his pocket and grabbed tiny glass balls. He threw them onto the ground. The shatter of the glass balls with swirling green clouds within broke free from the thin layer of glass, and the Arrancar became disoriented as the cloud enlarged and engulfed her.

Shinji followed the werewolves, hoping to catch up and swearing at his surprising inability to capture the nymph. He sprinted and could only catch a tiny glimpse of the werewolves' tails. "Shit," He knew he wouldn't be able to outrun them all and securing Rukia in a safe location would not be possible, and if he tried it would inevitably messy. From those few minutes in her presence, he became aware of Rukia's hostility nature. The isolation of depending on herself made her cold and secluded.

If he tried to help her, place her in a safe location, Rukia would fight back and he was certain she would fight back hard. Then, there was the likelihood of her disappearing, of her becoming inhabited of the world of her mother's heritage. There was a debate within his group that the option of her disappearing into nature, becoming the water, the trees, or flowers in the Realm was a positive detail.

If they could not find her, then the Espada would not be able to find her as well.

However, Shinji could not agree with it. He fought back for the chance to secure her because he did not want to scare Rukia into hiding. Scare her into declining help from friends and strangers, and live in fear and distrust. The world was not meant to be saved based on fear, it was meant to be saved with bravery, courage, and kindness. There were many ways to accomplish an objective; two of which were the most well-known ways: the easy path and the hard path.

The Alchemist wanted to take the hard path where the world will be saved and the Others who decided to fight, the humans who decided to watch, the friends and families who felt the pain, and the nymph's emotional and mental state would not be in an irreversibly state of damage. So, Shinji stopped with a hop, stared at the vanishing tails, and then continued to run but in a different direction.

Far ahead and losing the chase Rukia persisted on. Legs carried her as fast as they could and arms pushed branches out of her way, and she leaped over protruding roots and logs on the ground. Thoughts beamed in her mind and revolved in incomprehensible meanings: escape routes, back-up plans, possibility of being captured, and strategies of how to fight back if she got captured. However, that 'if' was soon changing to 'when' the more Rukia ran, and her legs tighten in exhaustion.

All of these ideas whirled in her mind but none made sense to her, they were incomplete and did not have high probability of succeeding. "_I need to do something,_" she thought as she exited the dense woods and ran on the gravel road. Pipi tweeted uneasily on top of her head, fretting his wings when the werewolves were catching up.

The barking was louder with every second and the sound of their paws hitting the ground echoed in her mind. "Pipi," She called to the bird and Pipi hopped on her shoulder, "Pipi…you need to fly away." Angry tweets but she ignored them, "I am too weak right now to fight them off and they are part of _his _pack, I doubt he wants to hear I hurt his family. I, also, do not have the necessary supplies to outwit them – which is not that difficult to do, but still, I need certain features for the idea to flourish correctly. So, please, fly away."

The bird did not move from his spot but after a moment, his wings spread and he flew into the air, and left Rukia alone. "Thank you," She said to Pipi once he was out of sight. The werewolves were close now, so close that one had unsuccessfully tried to tug on her cape.

Rukia suddenly jerked to a stop after she caught a glint on her right side, and the glint whizzed behind her at shoulder length. She followed the spark of light and heard the loud thump of the knife, and it impaled itself deeply within the tree behind her. The werewolves also stopped, their glowing Others eyes fixated on the location of where the knife was thrown from while Rukia's was fixated on the proud knife residing on the tree.

It was a basic knife, not beautiful or appealing, but it carried a power that Rukia or even the werewolves could ever hope to obtain. A basic knife which represented the people of the City of Ao as a whole with its basic blunt design of a generic cow hide handle and carbon steel blade. A weapon meant to protect the people of the city, as plain as it was, it was an honorable tool.

"Werewolves, Captain!" A man shouted when he came upon the road, his hand held a leash connected to some impatient bloodhounds. Rukia faced the newcomers as the werewolves growled and the bloodhounds whimpered but kept their stance as more city guards appeared. Wearily, Rukia watch the city guard increase in size, from five to fifteen with six eager dogs being held back by their leashes.

"I can see that," The captain answered, removing her sword from its sheath, "Werewolves from an unidentified pack, we are only here for the woman who caused destruction upon our city, we will allow you to go free only if you leave in a cooperative manner. Understood?"

The werewolves understood but growled in unison to express their disagreement. The soldiers who were not restraining the hunting dogs released their weapons as well, a mixture of guns and swords pointed at the small group of werewolves. The captain held her hand to stop her soldiers from attacking, "Conceal your fangs, werewolves and I will repeat my offer once more. Leave peacefully at once or we will kill you all."

The wolf that stood in a defensive stance in front of the rest relaxed its position and took a step back. The rest of the wolves followed in action and Rukia kept silent. Concealing her own hopefulness of the werewolves leaving this area, escaping from the city guards, and she could be able to deal with guards in a fitting manner. However, her hope was shattered when the same leading wolf morphed suddenly into the large half-beast and half-human form, roaring at the guards as the rest of the werewolves – once more – followed their leader.

They couldn't all finish their transformation when ice hit them, freezing them all in place and the guards shifted their gaze from the werewolf statues to Rukia. In a rash decision, Rukia froze the werewolves with her magic, but she remembered the risk again when she felt the magic in the woods increase in pressure from approaching Others. Even with this upcoming threats and enemies making an entrance in her life after months of hiding and evasion, Rukia stayed in the present by positioning herself in a defensive stance.

The guards muttered in shock and the hunting dogs were erratic with fear. The captain hide her surprise at Rukia's magic and swore when she tilted her head to the side, avoiding the arrow shot at her head. Angrily she shouted at the nymph, "Criminal!"

"It is Rukia, actually," she said.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Such fury poured out from him, melting his skin as he howled and raged. Grimmjow swore at Ichigo even if the werewolf could not understand and continued to do so when he felt the shallow cut made at the side of his artery. Blood spilled at the same rate of his wrath and his world became blurred and hazed.

Ichigo was already off to the side, watching the were-jaguar slip into an unconscious state. Panting heavily, Ichigo turned his back to the Espada, debating over killing him or letting him die on the ground. Those thoughts only lingered for a moment as he gazed at the palace's towers – more than half of them in ruins, black smoke lifted up, and ash rained onto the surface– and thoughts of Rukia and the people of the city came to mind.

He attempted to pull himself together and stand straight, perhaps locate some scraps of clothing to cover his nude human body instead of treading into the city as a werewolf covered in blood. He trampled onto the main road of the city, feelings his body slowly healing and closing the wounds inflicted on him.

Exhaustion took its toll and he kept moving his legs, his feet heavy and his body was gravitating to the ground. Only a few steps left until he could see Rukia again. The memory of her eyes and smile were not enough. The photo he kept in his wallet and around his home was not enough. He lingering scent in her room back in the cabin was not enough.

He needed more than the sweetness of her name off his tongue, "_Please, let me meet her again._"

"Ichigo-kun," A voice teased, floating from behind, and Ichigo swiftly turned to see Shinji standing on the road, grinning as he waved his beret at him lazily. "You don't look so well. Why not change back into your wolf form? Or better yet your human form?" Ichigo grumbled his answer and Shinji frowned, "Sadly, I'm not your mate." Ichigo made a grumble that gave the underlining of sarcasm but Shinji pressed on, "but, I believe I understand what you need." From inside of his long coat, Shinji pulled out a small blue vial, "Take a whiff of this, Ichigo-kun, and your reiatsu will replenish which will then lead to your wounds healing."

Ichigo leaned most of his weight on the tree next to him, his teeth bared in defensive as he debated about receiving Shinji's help. Especially now when he didn't know where the hell Shinji came from or how he arrived here since all the portals to-and-from the Realm was cut off. However, he needed to heal his wounds fast and if Shinji words were true; then, Ichigo wouldn't have to waste time healing.

Hesitantly, Ichigo moved closer and Shinji - with his never ending grin - lifted the vial's cover and the air touched the blue liquid, transforming it to gas and it ascended up and swept into Ichigo's mouth and nostrils. Instantly, Ichigo felt his mind throbbed less and his body lifted with energy. He felt the pains and wounds tingled in a familiar pattern and with the sudden amount of reiatsu back in his body, he transformed back into his human form. Ichigo's fur resided, his jaw shrunk, his bones snapped and reduced in size, and his muscles molded back into a human.

Ichigo pushed back his orange hair from his eyes and uncaringly stood in front of Shinji in the nude. "What are you doing here?"

"You're straight to the point too, I see." Shinji mumbled lowly but Ichigo caught the sentence. The alchemist simply went on with his hand raised to stop Ichigo from asking another question or even simply commenting. "I'm here not to admire your nude form, but because I'm going to help." Ichigo scowled and Shinji continued to move his hands vividly, "I'm working with the Others back in the human world, alongside with your father and pack. I was sent here through a portal I created – one-way only since I know the earthly materials over there extremely well, and it may take time for me to understand how the materials over here work – with some of your pack members.

"Now! Before you speak because I can see your thoughts processing and your mouth wanting to babble words, there is a more pressing matter at hand." Shinji placed his beret back on his head, fixing it casually as he left Ichigo in suspense. "A couple meters to your left, in the direction of the city with a light lean to the east, your pack members are chasing an important member of their pack…your mate, and I –" Shinji didn't finish his sentence for Ichigo ran off, morphing into his wolf form.

Shinji stuttered some words as he watched the _beta _werewolf leave, digging his paws into the ground to increase his speed. Frustrated, at being abandon Shinji grumbled to himself and shrugged his shoulder, "Leave without letting me finish…that's quite rude, Ichigo-kun." He glanced around and flapped his arm against his leg, "Guess I'll go too."

Ichigo could still hear the mutters of complaints from Shinji as he followed the direction of the city and burst into the main road. He glanced around and didn't hear anything particularly essential, and then he saw them on the ground. The road he was on has tracks, fresh but confusing. The prints of horses were recognizable, and so were the prints of human feet covered in a rubber material – majority of the footprints were large. Yet, there were no prints of his pack on the ground. He took a large whiff of the air and smelt only the average scent of the woods, and humans from the city.

However, he caught the lingering scents of his pack members, they were faint and stationary. "_What are they doing_? _And why the hell is she here?_" Ichigo grew worry for his pack members, and bounced off his feet. He decided he was too far ahead, and was going to work backwards, hoping to meet them and his mate soon.

Just as he was about to reenter the woods, an odor appeared and began to get closer. Recognizing it was a human Ichigo morphed back into his were-form but then decided against engaging with the human; however, an angry outburst of pain dug into his shoulder and made his tail curl and eyes shut in anguish. Ichigo howled, hand reaching back to yank the object excavating into his skin. "_Bad idea_," In the palm of his massive paw was a metal knife, vastly uncreative with dreary geometric lines and curved symbols burned into the leather handle. Ichigo turned towards the culprit, half expecting to see Grimmjow there with his feral eyes, but saw a lone man with an unsheathe sword pointed at him.

A soldier who was panting heavily, his legs shook furiously as he stepped close to Ichigo, and he gulped loudly to his embarrassment and tightened his grip on his weapon. He was in a royal uniform and alone, but Ichigo could smell the rest of his unit approaching. Only two to three feet away from the solider, the throwing knife slipped from Ichigo's hand but their gazes never did. The soldier struggled with keeping his mouth open long enough to made a noise, and after his seventh attempt the solider spoke, "U-under the l-law of the h-her Majesty…y-you a-are under arrest!"

"_Shit_," was the only word Ichigo could say for a couple of minutes as the solider stood in front of Ichigo. So close to the city, to his pack and his mate, and he had to get stopped by a young, inexperienced soldier after a harsh battle with Grimmjow. While the vial of health Shinji gave to Ichigo helped, the werewolf was still drain from his fight but, unluckily, he was too determined to give up and escape.

"I-I said, 'Under t-the l-law –'" The soldier was cut short when there a series of shouting from his right. Immediately Ichigo caught multiple scents, and recognized them as the scent of a hunt. The solider took his gaze off Ichigo and saw a red hooded figure appear from the trees. The figure jerked to a stop, breathing heavily – probably from giving the soldiers a well deserved pursuit – and took in the sight of the soldier and Ichigo.

Ichigo's hazed vision couldn't make out of the figure completely from that distance, but the soldier saw the figure's face and instantly recognized the figure, "Criminal!" The soldier shouted, shattering the stare the figure had on Ichigo.

Instantly, the soldier whimpered in pain when the figure quickly took an archery stance and launched an arrow into the soldier's shoulder, pinning the young man into the tree behind him. Ichigo could not pick a scent on the figure, his vision was clouded but still struggled to sharpen the edges. "_Speak_," He asked, so he could at least confirm some details about the red blob in front of him.

The red figure stepped forward, almost uncertainly but like the doe he heard earlier the figure froze. They both remembered what was following the red hooded figure. Rushing from the direction the red figure came from were dogs, large hunting dogs, and they hurtled themselves into the space of the main road. All growling viciously at the figure and the last one to enter attacked the figure, grabbing hold of the hood and tearing it away. The red fabric ripped away from the figure's hood floated across the ground and landed like the first leaf of fall.

The figure fell onto the ground, a resounding silence caused by the head crashing onto the floor which made the figure's stall for a moment from the impact but then move. Quickly standing up and pushing the heel of the boot against the road, the figure ran into the woods.

The attack by the last hound caused blood to be shed; he saw the red liquid on the ground and on the hound's face, and Ichigo's senses flourished with winter roses and orchids. Shocked, Ichigo watched the hunting dogs follow red hooded figure into the woods, and he came to his senses when he saw the last wisp of red from the cape. "_Rukia_!" Ichigo roared as the rest of the hunting group burst through the forest, one of the soldiers rode on a horse which became frighten at the sight of Ichigo.

Seething, Ichigo snarled and scared the horse furthermore – causing the horse to gallop away without the owner's consent – and some of the guards turned and ran away as well. Ichigo shifted into his wolf form, growing smaller and more compact – but still larger than the hunting dogs that ran ahead of him.

Following the trail of the dogs hastily, one of which had Rukia's blood on their jaw, he found them pacing at the edge of a river. They were circling a tree, jumping up and clawing at the bark as they barked at Rukia who was climbing up the tree. The hounds promptly noticed Ichigo, and their barking quieted down as they stepped back hesitantly.

The qualms of barks from below brushed against Rukia's ears, and noticing this change of event walked out on the further and thickest branch, and jumped onto the water. The surface of the water froze under her weight, hissing and tightening from her magic swiftly.

Some dogs noticed her and test the depth and temperature of the water with their paws while others barked at her angrily for a moment before Ichigo barked again. Louder this time, growling afterwards and the hunting dogs' tails curled between their legs. Soon they were all on their backs, belly up in surrender.

Another bark from Ichigo and they dispersed, heading back to the direction of the city looking for their masters. He saw them off, teeth bared and in a defense stance with his back towards the river where Rukia was. The concentration he had towards the hunting dogs caused him to jump in surprised when a soft thud landed on his head – and he was unwilling to admit it scared him. The light mass of feather bounced on his head and he heard the recognizable tweets of Pipi.

"_Haughty bird…_" Ichigo faced away from the woods, after the hunting dogs were a good distance away, towards the low hissing and cracking sound of water freezing. Slowly standing up from her crouching position on the forming ice beneath her feet in the middle of the river Rukia lifted her head.

The hood may be torn but the fabric still framed her face lovingly as she stared at him, her gaze strong and bewitching. There was a thin cut on her right cheek caused by one of the hunting dogs and blood ran from her left temple from when she fell, and it was these areas where Ichigo pinpointed her scent to. The rest of her body was hidden under an air of transparency. The shift came so instantly that he didn't realize he was back in his human form until he tried to go to Rukia.

His first step into the cool water sent chills up in his spine, and reawakened his ability to speak. Throat dry since there were so many things he wanted to say to her and ask her, but he only managed to say one thing: "Yo."

Stiffening her lip, she tried to say something but the longer she stared at him the more she felt confused. Ichigo took another step into the water, jumping in surprised for the second time when the bank of the river suddenly dip, and caused him to be waist-deep already. He cursed softly but his eyes still never left Rukia's.

"You should have not come here, fool."

The fluttering of happiness inside of Ichigo compressed, "Wait. What?"

"Are you not aware of the danger you placed yourself, your pack members, and friends by coming here?" She reprimanded, her eyebrows sloping up in caution and concern and she stepped back warily, "I do not need the protection of your pack and especially from you. Leave this place and let me be." Eyes were tearing up but they never wavered, "Protect yourself and your family."

His expression hardened, somber as he witness the tension of concern in Rukia's voice. Moments passed, and they watched each other vigilantly. They were both fully aware that Rukia who was on top of the water had the advantage of escaping while he would struggle with dog paddling to the other side if she did.

Rukia was the first to move, showing him her back as she took a step forward, ice forming under her foot, but stopped at the sound of his voice smoothing over her in a trusting tone she hadn't heard for a period of time: "I'm here to protect you." He saw that she stayed in place. Rukia was debating whether or not to yell at him for being an idiot or letting it go and leaving, and she frowned angrily at him even if she wasn't facing him.

Of course, Ichigo could not see that, and she remained focus on the woods on the other side of the river. Even when Ichigo moved closer to her, creating ripples and splashing onto her platform of ice and over her feet: she could not move.

The outline of the woods in front of her provided many things such as concealing her once more from the enemies that wanted to harm her and protecting those who were caught in the crossfire because of her. She could hide again. This time she would have more experience with disguising her identity and she'll stop fooling around in the towns and cities.

Ichigo wanted to reach out, hold her, but he wanted her to reach back for him, and to return his embrace as well. "Because you're my family too, Rukia," he said and he reached up to hold her hand, his finger brushed against hers.

Warmth streamed from his touch into Rukia's fingertips, and it swam up into her hand, arm, shoulder, and the rest of her body. Power coursed inside of her. Confidence and trust flow steadily and she tentatively wrapped her own fingertips around his hand. Tilting her head to the side, obscuring the view of the scatter trees in front of her faintly, and she remembered why she was always debated about entering the woods every single day.

Why she lingered at the edge, hearing the sounds of people behind her as she faced the tall trees and growing plants.

She didn't want to be alone.

Glancing at Ichigo with his serious but hopeful expression on his face, Rukia continued to feel uncertain and concern but she turned towards him, bending down as she did, and wrapping her arms around his neck. The ice she was on collapsed and her body submerged into the water, and into his full embrace. Warmth now collided violently within her, but it was blissful and she hid her face from him by pressing it against his shoulder.

He spoke to her but she couldn't process the words. All she wanted to do want sink into his warmth, comfort and secure, and sleep. Pipi hopped from Ichigo's head onto hers, tweeting happily as Ichigo began to move them out of the water.

They sloshed out of the water, Rukia with more difficulty because of her layers of clothing while Ichigo ambled out, his hand still gripping Rukia's. The nymph looked back to the lines of trees, her heart thumped anxiously at the calculation of still being able to sprint to the other side. Escaping Ichigo's hold on her, but she knew that was no actually reason to escape. Ichigo wasn't going to hurt her, abuse her, and manipulate her. No, she was the one who done the hurting, the abusing, and the manipulation.

Ichigo felt her squeeze his hand hard, heard the rapid beat of her heart but did not ask what she was fretting about. Instead, he waited for her to look forwards, towards him, and when she did he kissed her. Hard, and he poured everything he could into that kiss and she matched it. He wanted her to know his feelings and he wanted her to know she could feel these same emotions too, and she could share them with him. He wanted Rukia to know that she wasn't alone, and he wasn't going to let her be alone.

And Rukia just wanted to feel everything again.

The kiss was desperate but soft, communication lined up between them and for once after many months, everything just didn't seem to matter but the feelings of relief and happiness wiring back and forth between them.

He pulled back reluctantly, taking in the red on her cheeks and lips, but most of all he pushed her hood away and buried his nose within her hair. Breathing in her scent and it was as addicting as ever. Rukia, however, wanted more and moved her head to capture his lips once more, finding his taste addicting and he melted. The kiss reinforced her feelings and emotions, but slowly became demanding and passionate. Both of her arms around his shoulders, and he lifted her up with his hands under her thighs.

Pipi tweeted angrily at the sudden change of event and decided to fly away and look for seeds or small bugs to eat. It was at this time when Pipi delivered a last angry tweet in her ear that her lips paused its assault on Ichigo's, and flushed in embarrassment Rukia realized something as she leaned back.

"Why are you naked?"

"Y-you just noticed?" He asked, almost slightly offended that she didn't notice earlier.

"Yes, I just noticed," she hissed, the blush became darker as her hands lifted away from Ichigo's skin as if it was hot to the touch, and as far as she was concern it was. "This is quite improper."

"You didn't notice me naked? I was naked for the past ten minutes," He said annoyed at her, "You've seen me naked before. _I_ would notice if you were naked within a millisecond."

"Simply because I read my past from my journal does not mean I have a visual in my mind of us having…_relations – _and of course you would notice."

"'Relations?'" He scoffed, "we made love and what's that suppose to mean."

"You know what I meant. Now put me down"

He hesitated for a moment, "Um…the sun hasn't set yet."

"The…the sun?" Rukia tried to get more space between them, but it simply revealed more tan skin and further causing her embarrassment. "We have almost three hours until dusk."

"That's not the 'sun' I'm talking about."

"What other sun is there?" Now she punched him lightly on the shoulder, "Put me down."

Ichigo was hesitant but gave in, and set the short woman on the ground and she quickly changed her choice of scenery. Preferring to observe the ground rather than Ichigo, Rukia wringed her clothing absentmindedly until she remembered that he was here in the Realm of magic, "Really now… how or when did you get here – why are you excited?"

Rukia had turned around, forgetting once more that Ichigo was nude, but was completely surprised when she saw that his nether region was erected, bobbing proudly and pulsing red. She blinked slowly and then swiftly closed her eyes, hands over them as she burst red.

Ichigo growled softly, rubbing the back of his head shyly, "It's hard not to get excited with you around."

"Still, there are time and places for such activities!" She remained in the same location, but her speech was fluttered and shied away from him.

"So…there will be these kind of activities in the future?"

"Put it down," she fumbled, "think of fungus or something else of the sort."

Ichigo chortled, "The only thing I can think about is making your cheeks red."

"My cheeks are already red!"

"I meant the other cheeks," he smirked and Rukia shook her head at him as she kept babbling mortified protest while he laughed.

It only took a shared gaze and a smile and it felt everything was back to normal.

~o~o~o~o~o~

"Miss Kuchiki! Ichigo-kun!" Shinji waved at them happily with his beret.

After a long banter and a cold glare from Rukia, the nymph and werewolf decided to take the main road back, Ichigo in his wolf-form to save Rukia from embarrassment and for quicker defensive against any hunting dogs or humans that may come their way. Rukia informed him what she did to his pack member but reassured him that they were safe since she encased them in a defensive ice and would melt within a minute without her presence.

So, they both jumped in surprised when Shinji appeared with the exception of Pipi who was back on Rukia's head, eating the seeds he located and decide her head was the best table to eat them on again.

Ichigo barked in acknowledgement and then happily ran forward when he saw his pack members appearing by the alchemist's side. The _beta _wolf's jolly mood soured when he noticed the smallest werewolf among the pack. He growled and barked at the werewolf and the small werewolf growled and barked back angrily.

There was an extra pep in Shinji's talk after all the werewolves frolicking about, "Pipi was so kind of enough to find me and I hope you don't mind if I used him to send messages to Renji-kun and Uryū-kun."

Submersed in his conversation with the small werewolf, Ichigo didn't paid heed to Shinji who became tense until his pack members took a step back and their ears lowered. The small werewolf in front of Ichigo gestured to Ichigo to look behind him. At first, he thought there might be another enemy, but when he turned around with his teeth bared all he saw was Rukia. Bow and arrow in position, aiming at Shinji and the warm expression he saw earlier froze over.

Rukia waited for Shinji or the werewolves to move, and her thoughts reverted back into brainstorming: escape route, defensive position and attack stances she could take. Ichigo barked at her loud enough to demand her attention and soft enough to not alarm her. In spite of his bark, it did not go through and the harden glint she possessed did not flicker or diminish.

"Miss Kuchiki…your weapon," Shinji said calmly to her with hands up in surrender.

Constructing the stance of a tree, she remained silent as she took a step back and braced her leg for the discharge of the arrow. Determined to keep her stance strong and firm while her arms continued to be unyielding.

Shinji frowned as he and the rest of his pack remained still. It was Ichigo who tested Rukia uneasiness by swishing his tail back and forth. The rustle of his tail did not frighten her, and so he took a step and another when she did not run. He plopped down in front of her; his tail commenced waving back and forth and purposely brushed her ankles.

The brush of his tail was the first sensation she noticed, it annoyed her but it broke her trance. Then, she finally acknowledged Ichigo's low bark when she noticed him at her feet. A low huff, barely audible, was made and Rukia released the tension from her shoulders, placing her arrow back in her quiver. The strain in her arms relaxed as she tucked her bow into her shoulder strap arrow.

"Apologizes," she said, pulling her shredded hood over her head more securely, "Now keep walking straight ahead and I will inform you when to take a turn. Understood?"

"Completely," Shinji said, his grin forming once more on his face and with a pivot he sauntered on.

The pack waited for Ichigo to lead them but a bark from him ordered them to walk, and they did. The smaller wolf made a yelp and Ichigo responded back. While Rukia did not know what the other werewolves were saying, their sounds reminded her of incoherent babble, she understood Ichigo quite well. The small werewolf huffed and followed Shinji's upbeat pace. Rukia wanted to say something to the small wolf but her words got stuck, and she watched the wolf walk away.

Rukia felt her feet were enclosed in ice, unable to move. The smooth sensation of fur underneath her hand and the nudge pushing her forward generated shame when she realized the small werewolf was Karin. Her weapon now felt heavy and her fingers burned from holding them.

She wondered what she had done to herself. Trying so hard to protect the people around her, and here she was threatening those she swore to protect. Ichigo nudged her once more and her feet were thawed out. The first step tingled but was liberating as she followed the group in front of her. The pack followed Shinji while Ichigo walked alongside her in a steady pace.

It was long until dusk approached and only Karin crept back from the rest to walk alongside Ichigo and Rukia. Karin nudged Rukia's leg and while Rukia did not understand the whine she made, Karin felt she got the meaning. The nymph smiled at her as she pet the werewolf's head.

"Take this left," Rukia call out.

"Where are you taking us?" Shinji asked following her instruction happily, "The woods here are different."

"The air in these parts of the woods is lighter because of the displacement of negative energy flowing around the positive energy. Anyone with malevolent intention will not be allowed to enter these woods. The energy and magic will create a path to escort them away, and even if they come in a group, those who are not meant to be here will be separated from the group. Luckily, it seems everyone continues to be present."

"Then," The blond alchemist turned his head to glance back her, a teasing grin on his face, "How much longer until we arrive."

"Five minutes," Rukia said frowning at Shinji.

The last ray of sun sank into the horizon and among the forest, far ahead, was a single light. When they broke away from the woods, slipping into the clearing, the pack of werewolves quickened their pace and Ichigo allowed them to run towards the light. Pipi flew straight towards the cabin as Karin joined the rest of the pack and ran ahead.

"Is that a cabin?"

"Yes, our secure location."

Shinji tut-tutted, "It's a cabin."

Rukia perked an eyebrow, "I am aware of that."

"We're not going to fit in there."

Rukia smirked at him, "Then you can sleep in the stable with the horse, Clove. He is quite a darling horse." Ichigo wagged his tail amusingly, "The rest of us will be in the cabin."

Shinji could not get another word out when the door to the cabin was flung open. The single glow of light from the window beamed out vastly through the door and the silhouette was of a man.

The man, however, was pushed aside by a small figure who cried out happily at the sight of the group. "Ichi-nii! Karin-chan!"

Yuzu ran out and Karin sprinted towards her sister, tackling the younger twin to the ground. The rest of the werewolves crowed around Yuzu with their tails wagging vigorously. Don Kanonji exited the cabin, stepping on Renij's prone form on the ground and cried out Shinji's name. The blond alchemist, recognizing his friend, scampered towards him with his hands in the air. Ishida was the last to leave the cabin, grudgingly helping Renji up from the floor. The pack noticed them as well and swarmed them with Yuzu in tow.

Ichigo and Rukia were far behind, taking their time arriving to the cabin and to the happy glow of reunion. Ichigo was steps ahead as he was more excited to be with everyone. Rukia was slowly lingering behind until she stopped completely. They were close enough to the group that Ichigo didn't notice. The _beta _wolf tackled the group and joined in their wail wagging.

There was talk and barks, yelps of happiness and laughter echoing through the clearing. Rukia took in the content atmosphere, and wanted to be a part of it but felt doubtful that she would allow herself after hurting them all. Nevertheless, the happiness that radiated off of them was something she wanted to protect and without meaning to, Rukia glanced back to the woods.

They were all together and reunited, and the joy that sprang from them was wonderful. She could leave them and as she looked at the woods, what it was offering once more, she truly considered slipping away into the wilderness.

"_Nee-san_!" Rukia jumped at the yell and turned with wide eyes as Kon came propelling at her. "_You came back to me, Nee-san!_" Rukia crouched down on impulse, catching Kon in her arms who whined loudly that his "_Nee-san_" was back. The lion cub hurdling himself towards Rukia caused her to fall on her bottom, but Kon also initiated a butterfly effect with Renji, Ishida, and Yuzu all running towards her hurriedly.

"You found her. You found her!" Renji laughed ecstatically, sprinting towards Rukia and grabbing her in a hug.

"Rukia-san," Ishida quickly went to where Rukia. He was smiling as Kon scratched Renji's face and demanded the red hair werewolf to put them down. "It's good to have you back."

It was Yuzu who forced Renji to part with Rukia by pinching him firmly in the back. Once free from his clutches Yuzu embraced Rukia and tears streaming out heavily now, "You're back."

Confused by the sudden slaughter of emotions directed at her, Rukia answered delicately, almost unsure but her lips tingled when she said: "I am."

~o~o~o~o~o~

"_Nee-san's back! Nee-san's back,_" Kon sang happily as he trailed behind Rukia while the rest were in the dining room all getting ready to eat the meal Yuzu prepared last minute. The nymph walked down the familiar halls of Don Kanonji's home with its rich, earthly color walls and wooden doors with superb artwork hanging on the walls.

Without much thought she started to hum to the beat of Kon's singing just as if she was in her home in DC. Instead of Don Kanonji's home she was in her own, her humming a random tune to which turned to her singing loudly, and then her singing obnoxiously to tease the maids bustling about. The maids made faces at her before they laughed at her antics and then hushed her when her father was approaching.

Kon began to sing the lyrics of the tune she was humming, Pipi was jumping on her shoulder merrily, and on the spur of enthusiasm she pivoted and joined Kon. Their singing was loud and conversed with each other. It bounced off the wall in an unpleasing manner, and once Kon got a solo she twirled to only jump back in fright when she saw Ichigo standing a few feet away, leaning against the wall. Tripping over her cape Rukia fell onto the floor and instead of standing up soon after, she laid there in her start and embarrassment.

Kon was growling loudly and stood on top of Rukia's back as Ichigo sauntered over. Pipi quickly flew ahead to the kitchen, abandoning Kon and Rukia to fend off Ichigo's teasing. Rukia could see his feet but said nothing and hoped he would disappear, but life wasn't so kind to her and Ichigo bent down. Kon jumped back and attempted to shove Ichigo back with the little strength he had. Ichigo noticed and aggressively petted Kon's head and pushed the lion cub away.

He stared at her for a moment and asked her, "Can you sing for me like that just without the cape – and no clothing either while we're in bed?" Rukia felt her face flushed and continued to say nothing. "I'll take that as a 'yes,' then."

"It is a large, pronounce, 'no.'"

"For now?"

"Forever."

Ichigo poked the back of head, "Don't be mean."

"Do not sneak up on people."

"You were in the hallway."

"You could have said something."

He got closer to her, knees close to her body and radiated his body's warmth. "Are you going to stay on the floor?"

"As long as you are here, yes," she replied.

Ichigo pressed Kon away from Rukia, the cub cried out angrily, and he placed his face next to hers, lifted the torn hood from her head and breathed in her scent heavily, "Then, can we do something more enjoyable on the floor?"

The proximity of his person near hers made Rukia jump away from him, her hands reaching for her hood as she distanced herself away from him. She stood close to the wall, glaring at the smirk which hid poorly behind his scowl, "Insufferable."

"Dinner's ready," he said and stride his way back to the dining room, knowing fully that Rukia was behind him. "And don't worry…no one else was nearby to hear your horrible singing."

His knees buckled when Rukia and Kon kicked him quite hard for insulting her singing. They both stepped over him when he collapsed to the floor and proceed along without him as he held his whimper back and glaring at both of them.

Rukia walked briskly down the hall, determined to not get distracted once again. She cooled her cheeks with her hands when she got closer to the room filled of chatter, and when she entered she didn't have time to process the environment when she was pulled down into a chair by Yuzu.

"Um…," Rukia looked over at the young werewolf, "Yuzu…I do not believe I can eat all of this." Rukia said as she stared at the five plates of food, two dishes of dessert, and her one pot of green jasmine tea in front of her. It smelled delicious with the steam rice, omelet, fried shrimp and other kinds of seafood with side dishes of cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. The chocolate cake and mochi also looked mouth-watering but Rukia already felt full just from seeing the food.

"Not something you want to say, Rukia." Ichigo said when he entered the room, ignoring the stings on the back of his knees.

"Nonsense," Yuzu stabbed the table with a knife, large and threatening, and smiled largely, "You can."

Rukia stared at the knife piercing the table, words not being able to form as she followed the hand holding the knife up to Yuzu's arm, shoulder, and neck until she met Yuzu's eyes. There was a glint in her eyes and Rukia found her voice. "You are completely right," Rukia grabbed her fork, "I can eat it all."

Rukia threw a glance over to Karin and Ishida, both who were amused by her predicament. Karin snickering as she lazily ate her meal and Ishida hid his smile behind his hand. When Yuzu turned her back to get Ichigo's, Shinji's, and Don Kanonji's plates ready Rukia sighed softly – which Yuzu ignored – and began to eat slowly.

Rukia looked at Karin and wondered what the two other werewolves that came with her went. They said they had to complete a task Isshin asked them to do, and the Kurosaki sibling tried to convince them to stay, but they made it clear that they had a mission directly from the _Alpha_ and were set on completing it. After a small meal and a short rest, they were off again.

"Is it good?" Yuzu asked and Rukia nodded her head. The food tasted was as good as it looked and filled her mouth with delectable spices and flavor. Yuzu plopped down next to Rukia, glaring at Ichigo who attempted to steal the sit while she was away, and served herself.

They ate happily, Yuzu and Karin chatting with each other and catching up after many months of being separated. Ichigo, Renji, and Ishida argued over what kind of spice Yuzu used which Karin remarked as a stupid argument to which the three males ignored and continued to quarrel. Don Kanonji and Shinji appeared to be having an intelligent argument; however, Rukia could overhear the comments of clothing with levels of gleam and sparkles, and the difference of quality between velvet and silk.

Rukia watched and listen to it all as she ate. Thoughts were kept to herself as she tried to rearrange her character to fit into the puzzle of endearing dinner conversation. She tried but her words never even bubbled from her throat. The most she could say was, "Yes, it is delicious."

They were all warm creatures with kind eyes, and they were all attracted to each others' kinder souls. They were all bright, welcoming, and compassionate. They were stars among the night sky: always dependable during the darkest of nights, and while they were hidden during the day, they were always present and waiting.

She continued to eat silently, watching everyone who chatted happily. Soon, the food was diminishing. Ichigo and Renji willingly took large portion of Rukia's food she offered to them – claiming as werewolves they needed to keep their energy high when Yuzu noticed and got upset. As the conversation continued, Rukia replied to a comment Renji made which made the rest of the members around the table laugh loudly. It was a spark of surprise but Rukia discovered it was pleasing to make them laugh.

Dessert was eagerly welcomed by Ichigo since chocolate was his favorite flavor. As he devoured his cake in large bites, asking for seconds when he noticed Rukia was about to take her third bit – she was an extremely slow eater compared to everyone else – when she suddenly dropped her spoon.

The clatter of the spoon hitting the table stole everyone's attention. A look of horror washed over her and she rushed out of the dining room. The grand oak chair she sat upon was knocked down onto the floor and her cup slipped onto the table. The dining room door was slammed opened as she ran out, and Ichigo was out of his seat the moment she was a foot away with Ishida, Renji, and his twin sister close behind him. Shinji kept eating his dessert and Don Kanonji drank his coffee silently.

Ichigo expected to catch her outside – perhaps running into the forest – running away from them once again. He didn't. He found her on the floor in the middle of the hallway, collapsed and coughed violently into her hand. Kon was next to her, whimpering loudly as he gazed up at her.

"Rukia," Ichigo dropped down beside her, his arms encircling her and rubbing her back to soothe her coughing. "Rukia, are you okay?" She nodded but did not meet his eyes and her coughing sounded painful and rough, "Rukia."

"Leave," She said between a cough, eyes shut in what he concluded was pain.

"I'm not going anywhere," Ichigo declared and Rukia gave him a cold glare which quickly melted into irritation.

"Then, make them leave," She said between coarse coughs.

He did not question her and simply look up at his sisters, Renji and Ishida, and asked them to leave. While they appeared to be unwilling and concerned, they slowly filtered out of the hall and went back into the dining room.

Rukia unrelenting coughs shook her body violently, Ichigo tried to hold her close and soothe her back but she still attempted to detangle herself from him as he glanced back to the dining room doors in concern, wondering if Shinji had something to help her, either with medicine or a procedure. Kon remained behind; his whimpering became small cries until Rukia's coughing subsided.

The hand against her mouth stayed as she shook her head at Kon's tear-ridden eyes. Ichigo's presence was unwelcome but she knew he wouldn't leave, and she felt shameful for not being able to control her body and for having others witness her lack of control.

"Rukia…," Ichigo said, unsure of what else to say or do as Rukia lingered on the ground. She breathed softly now. "How are you feeling?" He asked her; however, she focused on the carpet and he called for her again. Slowly, with great displeasure and rather much preferring to walk over hot coal, she removed her hand from her mouth to reveal the small puddle of blood cradled uselessly in her palm. It was seeping between her fingers and a vivid trail slipping from her mouth.

"Why are you –?"

"It is from the 'Glass Orb,'" Rukia struggled to stand, ignored Ichigo's help, and made her hand into a fist. The blood dripped down onto her wrist and trail down to her elbow. "Nothing to be too concern about. It would be best to not tell the twins about this."

"'Nothing to be concern about?' You can't be nonchalant about this, Rukia!" Ichigo growled, restraining his hands from grabbing her. "How in the hell can you be so calm about this?" He yelled.

"Because it is not the first time and it won't be the last," She said staring Ichigo down. "As the host, things happen which I cannot control."

"So you have to suffer through it?!"

"Why are you acting surprised? You already knew about these certain liabilities I have to face being the host – and no need to yell, Ichigo. I am in front of you and able to hear you perfectly fine."

He was panting but his temper was slowly cooling as he tried to remain rational. "Don't brush this off as if it's normal," Ichigo fumed.

"I am not implying it is," Ichigo watched the stoic mask she had pour away to reveal her uneasiness. "There is nothing I – we – can do until the winter solstice arrives, and until that time arrives…I will be killed softly by…this, Ichigo."

* * *

**Hoped you enjoyed this chapter. If you have the time, please review and if you are interested in being my new beta please pm me. :3**


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